Running Fire
by MorTay3
Summary: Just cause you feel it, doesn't mean it's there. "Love was my demise and will be the death of me, one of these days. It's something I know and how my story will end...Don't judge me, is all I ask... until you've finished my story...Here's how everything changed." "...she wasn't his girlfriend but why did it feel like he was betraying Helga."
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Rated T but has some border line M rating. I'm being realistic with this, hate me or love me for my honesty.

But each chapter is named after a song and I listen to the song on repeat over and over. This is all written out, the story is complete, I promise. I've worked on it this entire summer. The problem is I have no internet access on a computer to upload them, Thus is why I am giving you guys 7 chapters all together. REVIEW EACH CHAPTER. Please? Lol.

Songs featured(Go And Check Em Out): Running Fire by The Duke Spirit & Russian Roulette by Rihanna

Disclaimer: Wakes up in a chair tied up, looks around a dark damp room and sees two tall males in cheap suits eying me... LOL just kidding don't you love when the authors do this? I do but too bad I wont' I'm too lazy for all that. I don't own Hey Arnold or the characters.

**Chapter 1 **

**Russian Roulette**

_I could sit here and tell you a lie or I could tell you the truth. I want to lie to you, that's being truthful. It's easier to lie and hide than to be honest and open. I was never good at being open and upfront about my feelings. Feelings always lead you to being hurt. Mine always betrayed me and put me on that road of pain. Love was my demise and will be the death of me, one of these days. It's something I know and how my story will end. I guess writing this will somehow release these repressed feelings I've held in for so long. Don't judge me, is all I ask... until you've finished my story. Everyone has judged me since I was three by my actions but never by my intellect or unnoticed mannerisms which have spoken so many words but have gone on as nothing more then meager acts of 'kindness'. Here's how everything changed_.

_I shouldn't be at this party, I'm an outcast_, Helga G. Pataki thought as she weaved through the crowd of ecstatic teens. Rhonda Wellington Lloyd was hosting her beginning of senior year party and who ever wasn't there was a nobody. Helga was tired of being a nobody, she just wanted to feel something different in her aura.

In a tight black mini dress and black pumps she was anything but a nobody. Too bad she was insecure and couldn't fathom the idea that she was worthy of attention or praise but she received those exact things all night. Even Rhonda cooed over her look and said it suited the tomboy. Helga nodded awkwardly before slipping into a crowd of teens playing beer pong.

Stinky and Harold against Sid and well, no one was Sid's partner. Sid had on some dark skinnies and grey vans with a grey kiss shirt on, his green hat covering his long curly black hair. He looked over to Helga and did a double take then smirked viscously. "Helga, boy howdy you look sexy!" Sid's mouth fell ajar as he looked at Helga's curves. _Damn she's was intoxicating_. Helga's face tightened her mouth in a straight smile trying to cover the obvious embarrassment.

"Thanks." She mumbled irritably.

"Wilkers Helga you look mighty fine!" Stinky's voice twanged.

"Ewe it's _Helg-a_ in a girly girl dress." Harold began to mock, Helga's fist formed. "And she's prancing around with her amazing curves...' Harold's eyes started going half idled. "And her legs are just...damn Helga." Harold lost his train of thought as he continued to stare at her long creamy ivory legs.

Helga wrapped her arms around herself, totally embarrassed. She looked away oddly cursing Phoebe for taking her school shopping and taking over. Helga could hear a familiar laugh approaching, a beautiful laugh coming closer. She looked over to her right to see Phoebe, Gerald and Arnold in tow. Phoebe clearly tipsy ran toward Helga and wrapped her arms around Helga. Helga looked down at Phoebe strangely and patted her like a pet. Gerald grabbed Phoebe and briefly looked at Helga. "Sorry she's tipsy." Gerald said his arms around Phoebe.

"Gerald! Leh.. leh go let me hug my _best _friend." Phoebe tried to squirm away from Gerald's hold but she was just so tiny and he was just so tall.

"Baby Helga didn't come remember." Gerald shushed her. Helga felt offended but hid that disappointment, it'd be better if Arnold didn't know she was Helga. Helga glanced at Arnold and quickly looked away when she saw he was checking her out.

"That is Helga! Helga help me!" Phoebe whined and then giggled madly. Gerald looked at Helga abruptly, his eyes as big as saucers.

"Hey Gerald-o, Football head." Helga winked, her smirk instilled on her face.

The three of them stood there quietly still shocked by Helga's appearance, especially Arnold. "Wow... who knew you could clean up nicely." Gerald smirked.

"I've always been this good looking, remember that Gerald-o." Helga smirked sarcastically. The two shared a brief smile, they became good friends junior year after Phoebe and Gerald started dating. "Of course your girlfriend here." Helga eyed Phoebe. "wanted me to dress like this." Helga gestured her hands from her hair to her toes.

Helga looked stunning, she had wavy hair, part of it covering her left eye, and her toes and nails painted crimson red. her lips kissed with pink lip gloss and her ears sporting gold hoops. _Damn she's sexy_, Arnold thought. Arnold averted his gaze from Helga's legs to her face and was greeted with her famous scowl. His mind sped forward and he tensed abruptly. _Did I really just say Helga was sexy?_ He asked himself. He shook his head and turned to Gerald to see Gerald's famous mischievous smirk. _Damn you Gerald_, Arnold thought as he looked at anything except Helga.

"Hey Helga baby." Sid slid over to Helga wiggling his eyebrows. Helga gave Sid an amused glance and put her hands on her hips and leaned closely to Sid. Arnold watched as she purposely flirted with Sid through body language. Why was he feeling uneasy, upset?

"Yes Sid?" Helga purred in Sid's ear. Sid stumbled a bit surprised by Helga's actions. She was actually flirting with him!

"Umm.." After composing himself he ran his hand through Helga's golden locks briefly bringing them away from her face. Her teal eyes, God they were beautiful. "Want to be my beer pong partner?" He asked coolly, though his nervousness was apparent to Helga. Helga giggled amazed at how boys could easily be tempted by any pretty thing walking in a small tight dress.

"Okay." She smirked and turned her attention to the rest of the shocked group. A smirk plastered on her face. "Prepare to lose Pink boy and Stink-o." She winked and walked to the other side of the table leaning over a bit while setting up the cups. She knew Arnold would be watching. She tried to stifle her laugh as she could feel eyes sending heat waved glances to her chest. She lifted her eyes to meet Arnold's staring at her chest.

Arnold preoccupied with Helga's bosom didn't hear Gerald calling him. "Arnold man. Hey you listening?" Gerald asked waving a hand in Arnold's face. Arnold stunned looked to Gerald and then Helga to see a mischievous smirk on her face and she had the nerve to wink at him. Arnold narrowed his eyes annoyed by Helga's seductive games, he would get her back...later.

"Sorry Gerald just thinking." Arnold smiled but Gerald could see the underlying chaos behind it.

"Mmm mmm mmm." Gerald shook his head. "I'm gonna sit this girl down." Gerald looked to his flushed face giggling girlfriend. "So feel free to roam or whatever you do." Gerald eyed Arnold suspiciously. Arnold chuckled.

"Sure Gerald." Arnold held out his hand. Gerald did the same and the two did their secret handshake they've done since preschool.

Arnold watched as his closest friend took himself and his girlfriend to a corner of the house where the two started..._Oh my_, Arnold thought turning away from Gerald and Phoebe's make out session. "Hey Football head." Arnold brought his gaze upon Helga.

"Huh?" He asked dumbfounded.

"You're judging, since your do-gooder self would know the house rules." Helga smirked. Arnold rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall sangfroid watching the game. Helga being victorious and Sid happy as well.

2 Hours later

"Fuck Helga!" Harold yelled rubbing his hands through his brown shaggy hair.

"Yes Pink-boy." Helga said loudly, a little too loudly.

"How do ya'll keep winning! Arnold here had us do a sign up sheet to go against yer, and we played you guys furst!" Stinky's country twang coming out more due to him being drunk.

"Fuck outta here Stinky, Helga and I are just too beast." Sid winked at Helga his hand around her waist. Helga giggled a bit liking the feel of Sid's hands.

"Umm Sid back off a bit." Arnold spoke up, his words slurred. He himself was drunk and annoyed with Sid touching Helga.

"Boy howdy!" Sid yelled throwing his head back his hands in the air surrendering. Helga busted out in laughter. "Ohh shit." Sid said holding his stomach with his right hand and the other hand covering his mouth.

"Sid?" Helga stopped laughing and looked at a spinning version of Sid running off to the bathroom. Who's idea was it to make beer pong, vodka pong? Helga looked around at the pairs still awaiting their turns against her. "Hey Football Head." Helga looked upon a groggily agitated blonde. _Damn what's up with him_, Helga thought. He waited for her to continue.

"Umm be my partner?" Helga asked innocently. Arnold liked her pleading voice, those innocent teal eyes, this would be the perfect opportunity for pay back.

"Okay Helga." Arnold stood up and stood directly beside her, his arm over her shoulder. "Okay Iggy and Park, try to beat us." Arnold had a wicked smile and Helga couldn't help but swoon into his arm. _Good I've got her where I want her_, Arnold thought holding up her weight easily.

The two played four more pairs of people and were crowned the kind and queen of beer pong of Rhonda's house. Arnold didn't care all too much he just wanted to set his plan in play. Rhonda started clearing out the house, in a red bikini and in her jimmy choos pumps. 'Yes tah-tah, good day to you sir...out my house except my PS118 crew." Rhonda rolled her eyes as she shut the door. The only people left were Nadine, Sid, Stinky, Harold, Curly, Eugene, Sheena, Phoebe, Gerald, Arnold and Helga. "Curly darling?" Rhonda asked.

"Yes my goddess." Curly raised an eyebrow from the couch.

"Come ravage me. NOW!" Rhonda held a fierce seductive glare at Curly.

"Don't have to demand me twice, hell even once!" Curly ran up to Rhonda and threw her over his shoulder as she giggled profusely. "Off my sweet! We shall make love tonight! HAHAHA!" Curly laughed manically running up to Rhonda's room.

The group looked around stunned at the display. "You all know the guest rooms, go have fun!" They heard Rhonda yell from upstairs. The PS118 group separated. Nadine, Eugene and Sheena put on a movie, Stinky and Harold carried a passed out Sid to a guest room, Phoebe and Gerald went in a guest room and well lets just say learned some 'anatomy'. Helga and Arnold stood there staring at each other. Arnold licked his lips eyeing the blonde in front of him. He wanted her and didn't care for the consequences that would come later. Helga bit her lip watching through her drunk eyes as Arnold tore her clothes off with only his eyes.

"Helga want to go upstairs and talk?" Arnold asked. The way he asked though wasn't necessarily meaning or implying talking of any sort at all.

Helga knew what Arnold was implying and she knew that no matter what happened in the morning things wouldn't change. Her feelings, his their relationship would remain the same, it always had and always would. But she needed him and wanted him no matter what cost.

"Lead the way Football Head." She smirked her eyes more serious and sober. Arnold could practically feel the want warming him, he would make her pay for teasing him and he knew exactly how to do it.

The walk up the stairs shouldn't be like this, Helga thought as Arnold's hand held on to hers tightly. She knew what would happen when they reached that room, she knew that as soon as that door closed her and Arnold would commit a deed that was universally against it. Arnold knew as well the precautions of this thing they had been fighting against since the moment they've met. Now the white wooden door with he expensive silver door handle stood in front of them. Arnold opened it and looked back at Helga holding his gaze on her eyes as he entered and then she. She was looking down as she felt her back against the door, by force closing it. Looking up to a lustful Arnold, she could see the desire in his emerald green eyes. He had her pinned against the door. What was this feeling inside of her, her stomach boiling, her spinning sending tremendous chills and her body wanting to fall apart but stood too tense. She quivered a bit and Arnold loved it. He loved seeing her terrified of him, he fed off of it and used it to gain confidence. "Wasn't very nice of you to tease me earlier." Arnold eyed her biting his lower lip, his head to the side of her neck.

"Wha..what are you talking about Arnold?" Helga closed her eyes feeling his lips coolly sliding against her skin.

"Helga that little bit of skin you showed me." Helga heard Arnold groaned pleasurably. Helga looked up shocked and saw a devious smirk on Arnold's face. This was not Arnold. "I'm gonna tease you till you beg me to fuck you." Arnold growled.

Helga's heart stopped beating at its rapid pace and her eyes widened, she was sober, very sober now. Arnold pressed his mouth against her own violently, her eyes still opened from the shock she thought to herself. _Arnold is kissing me, he wants me, he wants to...oh my God! Wait wait a minute he thinks he can dominate me? No Helga G. Pataki won't allow it_. Helga closed her eyes tight and pressed hard onto Arnold's mouth causing a small gasp from Arnold. _So that's how she wants to play_, he thought.

Arnold Lifted Helga's arms against the door his hands intertwined with hers as he tongue grazed her lips, she opened her mouth and he slid the full length of his tongue into her, she choked a bit but gave back what he threw. Their tongues clashing roughly and lips pressing tighter made it all the more intense. Arnold holding both her wrist in one hand above her slid his other hand down to cup her perfect round butt. He squeezed quite aggressively and Helga moaned out and deepened the kiss even more(if that was even possible). He grabbed the back of her thighs both hands now lifting her. Helga wrapped her thighs around his waist as he started to grind slowly but painfully hard, She threw her head back and moaned loudly feeling the button of his jeans hit a very sensitive spot. "Arnold." She moaned as he kissed her neck and down her chest. Her hands tugging through his hair as he sped up. Helga knew Arnold was a bad boy now, he had lots of flings and tons of stories she heard in school. The stories hurt to hear but she never quite believed them but now seeing this side of Arnold she questioned that entirely.

Arnold breathed into Helga's neck smelling her sweet scent. Kissing the base of her neck he moved toward the collarbone. He never wanted anyone this bad. Arnold was a virgin but at this rate he wouldn't be for long. Was he actually considering having sex with Helga. He was pretty sure she had never gone this far but with the way she touched him and kissed him,, he questioned it. "Fuck it." He said out loud carrying her to the bed and laying her down. he stood tall above her and watched as she looked into his eyes playfully. She began to pull of the black dress and Arnold was very excited but the gentleman in him knew better. He grabbed both of Helga's hands and just put them above her head as he made her lay down completely. "I told you, I want you to beg." He winked and began to kiss down her chest and lower and lower(you can guess just how low Arnold went)

Helga completely sitting up knocking Arnold on the ground. Arnold touched his aching head as Helga crawled to the end of the bed to look at him. "What the hell?" He asked.

"Arnold I can't." Helga said. Arnold looked into those teal eyes and saw a small child, so innocent. and there was his answer, she was innocent as well. A wicked smile crept on his face, still a bit tipsy he smiled.

"Helga can we just kiss?" He knew he sounded stupid but the 16 year old in him wanted her BAD. Helga giggled looking at him, he was sweating and his eyes half open. He was really drunk.

"Arnold, I don't.." Arnold raised his hand and his other covering his mouth. Arnold ran to the bathroom in the guest room. Helga raised a eyebrow and decided after a long debate with herself to help him by pulling his hair away and patting his back lovingly.

After him getting sick she laid him down in bed and he pulled her down with him, telling her he needed her, he always needed her. He even went as far to say he feels bad that he doesn't love her. That one hurt a lot. Helga now free from his grasp watched him sleep and finally let the tears fall. Helga shook quietly in the spot she stood and felt like she lost everything. Arnold would never love her but he needed her. Why her? She knew when they kissed, when they touched he could feel her heart beating, how terrified she was of him but willing to throw it all away for him. The value of her life didn't matter when it came to Arnold. He was and will always be her muse. Watching him breathe in and out evenly one more time she grabbed her heels and opened the door slowly keeping the smeared mascara lay on her cheeks, as she started to close it she could faintly hear Arnold whisper her name.

**Take a breath, take it deep. Calm yourself, he says to me. **

**If you play, you play for keeps. Take the gun and count to three. **

**Say a pray, to yourself. He says close your eyes, sometimes it helps. **

**And then I get a scary thought, that he's here means he's never lost.**

**As my life flashes before my eyes. I'm wondering I will ever see another sun rise. **

**So many wont get the chance to say goodbye. But its too late to think of the value of my life.**

A/N: Okay people I'm sure you guys are all like wow tmi on the whole Arnold and Helga sexual moment. The next chapter will take place in their senior year, we shall see just how Helga and Arnold will respond toward each other;)

I'm truly excited to be doing this. Review, praise, criticize whatever I don't care just tell me how you feel. Don't take anonymous because I hate cowards. I say how I feel about a story all the time whether good or bad but there's a thing called constructive criticism and not let me bash this author and crush their hopes and dreams. lol anyway I got shit to do.

Love always! Morgan


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hi everyone:) Thank you to whomever reviewed! Here you go people another chapter. To make you all happy I'll tell you there's 22 chapters.

Songs Featured: Undercover Martyn by Two Door Cinema Club & Sabotage by Wale Ft. Lloyd

(I'm very diverse when it comes to music. Metal, Rock, Indie, Alternative, Classical, Rap, R&B, Soul, Country, Pop, Techno, Dance, Reggaton, Jpop, Jrock, Kpop, Krock...so much more...I honestly listen to everything. Thanks to my mixed up family, friends and metropolitan area)

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Hey Arnold or Anything Associated With It. I Own The Originality to This Story Though:)

**Chapter 2 **

**Undercover Martyn**

Helga woke up to her cell ringing 'She spoke words that would melt in your hands, she spoke words of wisdom' She picked up the phone off her dresser and answered. "Hello." She answered dazed from sleep.

"Morning beautiful." Helga rolled over on her back smiling behind the phone, he always made her smile when he called her beautiful.

"Nice greeting Football head but sadly it afternoon." She smirked imaging his face as he chuckled through the receiver.

"You always sleep in. Making me wait to call...come over?" He phrased 'come over' as a question. Helga smirked to herself, Arnold just really couldn't resist her but he could resist commitment. A pang of pain was sent through Helga's heart.

During the summer Arnold made it a point to try to talk to Helga but she wouldn't meet him, it took another one of Rhonda's parties for them to meet up again and the night of the end of junior year party was acted out again this time with things ending a bit more differently. The next morning after they agreed that they had sexual tension and were attracted to each other. They had also agreed that they weren't looking for commitment (more on Arnold's side then Helga's) but she refused to show that she wanted more. It had been two months of this contracted agreement. They were Friends with Benefits, mostly just benefits. Helga didn't share too much on her home life and Arnold did the same. They would solely devote their feeling through physical actions and that they did.

"Umm." Helga sat up and stretched. "Let me get a shower and come over in like half an hour." Helga asked.

"How about I come over now and we shower together?" Arnold phrased huskily. Helga laughed use to Arnold's aggressiveness. He was very dominate in the bedroom but Helga would fight for dictatorship, winning some days and others just relaxing into his warm body.

"Sorry Football head not showing you everything I've got just yet." Helga teased. They hadn't done the deed, just yet but with bases they've landed on it wasn't too far away. "I mean how would you react seeing me all wet and naked..." She could hear him groan. "...you'd have so much trouble standing, id have to bend over just to help you up." Helga covered her mouth trying not to laugh.

"Helga dammit, I'm coming now." Arnold growled, Helga could hear a door slam.

"Catch me Arnold." She purred and hung up running to her bathroom to shower before Arnold made it. Knowing him he would sneak into her room and it would be no problem, Miriam would be passed out and Big Bob at the new refurbished store Big Bob's Bluetooth and cells.

Helga quickly stripped her clothes off and waited for the water to warm. She jumped in scrubbing herself clean and pouring her vanilla shampoo into her hands massaging through her scalp twice before rinsing. She then poured her amber conditioner into her hands and did the same process. The shower was roughly 13 minutes. She came out wrapping a pale pink towel around her body, her hair wet and curling down her back. She opened her bathroom door to be greeted by a lustful football headed boy. Helga jumped back frightened but was quickly quieted by Arnolds lips crashing on hers.

**A long makeout session later...**

"Ugh Football head my hair!" Helga whined looking at the tangled damp mess. Arnold grabbed a brush on her vanity mirror and walked up behind Helga brushing her hair gently. Helga tightened the growing smile on her face. _Some days he's just so loving_, Helga thought closing her eyes into the soft caress of fingers and brush bristle. A few minutes later Arnold had stopped and she could feel his cool breath against her heating earlobe

"All done." He smirked moving away. Helga looked in the mirror to see manageable hair, nothing remotely salon looking but manageable.

"Not a bad job Football Head." Helga smiled turning her direction toward him.

"I try." He shrugged plopping down on her small twin bed. Helga sighed.

"So what you doing over here?" She asked. Arnold was fiddling with her pink book, Helga stood up quickly snatching it away.

"Hey!" Arnold protested as Helga put it away. "What is it stuff about me or something." Arnold laughed jokingly but the look in Helga's eyes told him it was just that. He would throw away the topic, for now. "So Helga, Rhonda's having a Beginning of Senior year party." Arnold stated shakily. Helga's eyes were averted to him in anticipation. _Is he gonna ask me to go...with him_, she smiled to herself.

"Yea I know about it, Sid asked me to go." Helga turned away smirking.

"He did?!" Arnold sat up completely tense.

"Yep, he did." Helga smiled still looking away from Arnold, she could feel and hear the anger. He was jealous!

"What did you say?" Arnold growled.

"I might show up." Helga looked at Arnold seeing the anger in his fiery green eyes.

"So you didn't say no." Arnold narrowed his eyes at her, he clenched her bed sheets in his fist annoyed at Sid for making any type of pass at his territory.

"I didn't say yes either." Helga stated, maybe it was a bad idea trying to make Arnold jealous.

"It's okay, I couldn't really take you myself anyway..." Arnold was stuttering with his words. He felt disappointed, uncomfortable and just upset. "I mean everyone would think something's up..you know? umm right Helga?" Arnold asked Helga playing with his hands nervously. Helga had an indifferent look on her face, her eyes were saying something totally different. He could catch the devastation and sorrow. Had he hurt her?

"Yea Arnold." Arnold still entranced by her eyes looked to her face completely.

"Excuse me." He coughed.

"Your right, we wouldn't want anyone to know about _us_." Helga face was grim, her lips in a thin line. "I really should be getting dressed and head over to Phoebe's." Helga said quickly obviously trying to tell Arnold to leave. Arnold hurt by her rushing him out and not exactly knowing why the sudden change but he had a feeling it was because of him,

"Helga, you alright?" Arnold asked moving to touch her arm, she flinched away.

"Yea Football Head, maybe I'll see you at Rhonda's party." Helga chimed a smirk on her face. Arnold put on a small smile and went over to her window hesitating.

"Helga." Arnold turned to her direction. She looked at his shirt but not his eyes. "See you later." He winked. She put on a small smile and waved. He wasn't going to get a verbal response from her. He climbed out her window and grabbed on to the heavy branch to steady himself before he climbed down and walked away.

**An Hour Later...**

**Arnold: Hey**

**Gerald: Sup man...**

**Arnold: Can I some over?**

**Arnold: *come**

**Gerald: Not really man, Timberly and her annoying freshman friends are here. **

**Arnold: Oh nvm...**

**Gerald: Shit, Arnold man don't do that... meet up at Tina Park, 30min?**

Arnold held his phone in his hands, he was already there. He needed someone to talk to, to distract him.

**Gerald: You there?**

**Arnold: Yes. I'm already there, be here in 15 minutes, please?**

**Gerald: Got you my main man.**

Arnold waited patiently for Gerald. He could see Gerald sporting a red long hoodie with a short sleeved jean jacket over it dark baggy skinnies and black and red Nikes. Gerald of course was the coolest teen around that included his style, athletic abilities and looks. Gerald looked at the blonde boy in front of him, he was completely down in the dumps and it showed. "Hey man." Gerald said sitting beside Arnold on the bench. Arnold nodded.

"Nice look, Rhonda's party?" Arnold asked. Gerald smirked.

"Of course I have to be the definition of hip. I'm too swaggy." Gerald relaxed legs apart.

"Did you really just use a Justin Beaver word?" Arnold laughed.

"Did you just say Justin Beaver in my presence?" Gerald countered. Arnold shook his head laughing, feeling way better. Gerald took on a serious face. "What's going on brotha'?" _Just like Gerald to just be blunt_, Arnold thought.

"Helga." Arnold frowned his hands covering his face and laying on his lap limp.

"Mmm mmm mmm." Gerald shook his head. "I told you either one of you would catch feelings doing this. Shaking. My. Head." Gerald emphasized each word.

"It's not that Gerald." Arnold bit his lower lip.

"Then what is it man?" Gerald sighed.

"It's just Gerald...Helga and I have been doing this for 2 months almost 3 and well...we umm...I don't want to say I'm caching feelings or whatever you called it but...I mean Helga isn't, I think at all...Gerald I'm confused." Arnold played with his hands.

"Okay Arnold, one slow the hell down and tell me what got you this way?" Gerald looked to his disgruntled best friend. Arnold took a breath and explained what happened earlier in Helga's room. Gerald took a deep inhale and a loud exhale. "Damn Arnold."

"That's all you have to say? Damn Arnold?" Arnold asked. "I mean what did I do, you think Helga isn't interested in whatever we have..." Arnold continued to mumble outrageous questions.

"Arnold." Gerald finally spoke stopping Arnold from his speech. "You. Are. Dense." Gerald shook his head standing up.

"The hell Gerald, I need advice!" Arnold stood as well.

"Honestly man, I want to help you but _this _is just common sense stuff you should have figured it out on your own." Gerald frowned.

Arnold couldn't believe Gerald right now. His best friend refused to give him advice. Arnold always put Gerald's problems first if Gerald addressed them, and Arnold would do everything in his power to help find a solution. Now when he needed guidance himself Gerald refused.

"That's really messed up Gerald, I'm always there for you when you need me." Arnold shook his head turning away.

"Now Arnold don't do that man. I want to help you, I do honestly but I know you. Whenever I give you any advice pertaining to a certain blonde you completely shut down my suggestions and won't have it." Gerald threw his arms up feeling defeated already.

"That's not true Gerald." Arnold sneered.

"Okay Arnold. I'm going to tell you my advice and we'll see how you take it." Gerald sighed giving in. Arnold narrowed his eyes waiting. "I think Helga has feelings for you." Gerald said slowly but Arnold already muttered under his breath. Gerald rolled his eyes and continued. "You have feelings for her."

"Gerald I do not..." Gerald interrupted.

"See Arnold, that's the shit I'm talking about Arnold. Denying everything anyone tries to tell. I'm speaking the truth but I guess that's a foreign language to you." Gerald gritted his teeth. Arnold couldn't hold back his laughter.

"Really Big Wayne reference?" Arnold chuckled. Gerald shook his head but ended up laughing.

"Well you know." Gerald had his hands in his pockets shrugging. "You know I'm right." Gerald raised an eyebrow.

"I know... but your also wrong. Helga doesn't have feelings for me and mine are just hormones. I don't even know her, really." Arnold looked off avoiding Gerald's gaze.

Gerald looked on to his blonde friend and could only watch his slow self destruction. Gerald genuinely wanted to help but Arnold was dense and truly stubborn. He enjoyed giving the advice but taking it from anyone was something he would never do. Gerald knew that eventually Helga and Arnold would pull apart and he knew it would end badly. Those two always made it a point to end things on a bad note and just end up in the same awkward situation all over again. Phoebe once explained to Gerald that it was because the two were 'star crossed lovers' some Shakespeare bull. Gerald knew that the whole Shakespeare thing never ended on a good note and he feared for Arnold and Helga as well. The two were deserving of happiness but how long would that take?

"Lets get going. You need to get ready for Rhonda's party." Gerald patted Arnold on the shoulder briefly letting the topic drop, hopefully Arnold would get a wake up call...hopefully not a brutal one, same for Helga.

"Cool Gerald." Arnold said coolly placing his hands in his pockets. The boys started walking toward the sunset arms boarding house. Arnold all the while thinking how things could horribly go wrong.

**Phoebe's House...**

Helga lay on Phoebe's bed quietly looking at the ceiling. Normally she would rant about Arnold and their steamy makeout sessions or what he said that was cute but today Helga didn't want to talk think or even see Arnold. She was stupid for believing in them and that moment in her room brought her back to the cruel world of reality. Boys didn't care for feelings, it was always about sex but Helga would stop her thoughts. _Arnold isn't like the other boys, he does care_, she thought. Helga covered her eyes with her arms, roughly pushing them down on her eyes. She wouldn't cry. "Helga." She heard a small voice say. Helga sat up and faced her 5'3 best friend, her long black silk hair at her shoulders and layered.

"I'm okay Pheebs." Helga smiled. "Ha now I sound like Eugene." Helga laughed. Phoebe smiled but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Helga talk to me...I know you're upset but...please." Phoebe looked pleadingly into the teal eyes that were watering. Helga wiped away any evidence though.

"Arnold was going to ask me to Rhonda's party, as a date...I think but he bailed out and basically said he doesn't want people to see us together." Helga shrugged the pain away. It was so natural to push it to the side.

"Oh Helga I'm terribly sorry." Phoebe's eyes softened and body looked limp.

"It's okay Pheebs...it's my fault." Helga turned away.

Helga could feel her chest tighten and her eyes shut as she placed the blame on herself. The negative thought tensed her body up more. It just had to be her, if she were nicer, if she could open up, if her home life was better maybe then Arnold would actually deem her relationship worthy.

"Helga, it's not your fault." Phoebe spoke after ten minutes. Helga was about to speak when Phoebe held up her dainty hand. "Helga I never have been one to pride in your problems but this crosses the line." Phoebe looked...angry. Helga sat up and watched Phoebe's eyebrows narrow and face scowl. "Arnold is a very dense boy. I am so sorry you have been dealing with this. I thought Arnold would never stoop this low but I guess people change." Phoebe shook her head and closed her eyes breathing in her neutral face back on. "Let's get you dressed up for Rhonda's party and maybe then Arnold will see exactly what he's missing out on," Phoebe winked. Helga was truly impressed.

"Phoebe I had no idea." Helga crossed her arms eyeing her best friend.

"You never asked." Phoebe smirked and went to her closet pulling out 'the dress'. Phoebe walked over to Helga smirking victoriously.

"Really?" Helga asked.

"Really." Phoebe smiled. "Operation Make Arnold Beg is in session." Helga couldn't stop the smile on her face. It almost hurt to smile. _Is this how happiness feels_, Helga thought. The smile reaching her teal eyes.

**Part 2 **

**Sabotage**

Arnold and Gerald sat with Stinky, Harold, Sid and Lorenzo all sipping on beer. The boys all looked well dressed and had changed considerably well through the stages of puberty. Sid sporting his usual attire of vans, dark skinnies and wavy dark hair with his signature green cap. Stinky the tallest of the group 6'3, wearing denim jeans a white t-shirt underneath a green plain rolled up sleeve shirt, his hair no longer in a buzz cut but sporting a more gelled back look. Harold making the most significant change was now huge as in muscular, Harold had curly shaggy hair that was in a short cut, he had low cut jeans with a tear in the left knee and sported a plain black muscle shirt(he was quite the looker now). Lorenzo was always one of the hottest Hillwood boys, he was tall, lean, rich and confident but his sweet charismatic personality made him very popular, Lorenzo was wearing a plain black v-neck shirt, light skinnies and a grey beanie with grey high tops, he had facial hair a after shaved goatee his tan skin making him ever more desirable. Arnold was wearing a brown button up shirt leaving the three top buttons unbutton revealing his white t-shirt, he had on dark low cut jeans and berrys (sperrys), his hair being untamable unless completely slicked back had a ruffled look but worked for the exotic looking blonde. Here was the PS118 boys, the hottest and coolest ones at that.

"Rhonda's parties are starting to get tiring." Sid yawned.

"Haha why you say that Sid." Harold laughed. Everyone interested.

"Cause the music is the same, the drinking the same, where I end up the next morning the same...damn even the girls are the same." Sid mumbled annoyingly. Gerald laughed.

"Well that's Hillwood for you man. What did you expect for everything to change tonight. We all grew up here." Gerald shrugged.

"I reckon Gerald's right." Stinky spoke taking a gulp of his fifth beer. "Sid we can't expect a lot of change if we know everyone here." Sid sighed, he didn't care if he grew up here he just wanted a change, something that would forever change him, his friends, his life.

Arnold silently agreed with Sid, he wanted a change too and maybe he could do just that with Helga. Arnold smiled to himself sipping his second beer.

"I kind of agree with Sid on this one." Lorenzo spoke, his accent still there but more melodic and deep. Everyone looked at him. "Change is good, even bad change. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Lorenzo placed his beer up. Everyone chuckled and put there beers up.

"Gerald the main man from our streets, telling urban legends of Hillwood since preschool please do us the honor of this toast." Sid sat back down.

"Thank you my brotha with the green cap." Gerald stood up. "This here is the beginning of our senior year, the time where we begin and end. Let this year represent change of the best kind and let our lives always intertwine with each other. To change!" Gerald held up his beer and the group held theirs against his in a cheers.

"CHANGE!" They all shouted.

"Nice toast Gerald-o." A sensual voice spoke.

"I concur Helga." Another sensual voice said. All the boys turned their attention to two beautiful women before them. And beautiful demeaned them!

Phoebe had on a sage green dress that flowed down mid thigh and was beaded around her chest. The color complimented her creamy skin tone and the dress worked well with her petite figure and showed off her assets. Her hair fell in loose curves at the top of her shoulders, he long white boots making her stand out, in the right way of course. Gerald couldn't help but stare at Phoebe hungrily. He wanted her, NOW!

Helga was wearing a small strap heart shaped dress that hugged at her breast tightly and tightened around her waist showing just how small she was, the dress was tight and slid down her curves revealing them without being too exposed. Helga spun around after hearing her name being called, the back of her dress was open with zigzag black straps and a zipper forming from the top down the spine of her back. The dress was perfect, especially on Helga! Helga's hair was in waves in a half up half down due. She narrowed her shadowy eyes toward the boys landing them longer on a certain Football head. She smirked and he sat there mouth ajar. ( image/l/1203/20)

"Wow you two look...wow." Harold stammered. Rhonda in a tight red mini dress came up, her hair down her waist now.

"Helga darling you look amazing and you as well Phoebe!" Rhonda narrowed her eyes at Harold. "Pick your mouth up Harold, you look disgusting." Rhonda sneered poking her nose in the air switching away.

"By God Phoebe and Helga you two are the purtiest gals in here." Stinky commented. Helga blushed and Phoebe giggled a thank you.

"Like what you see Gerald." Phoebe hummed. Gerald gulped.

"Yes I do, its just too bad though..." Gerald said shaking his head.

"What?!" Phoebe asked stunned.

"Your dress is about to come off." Gerald winked. Phoebe's face turned beet red and Helga couldn't hold back her laughter as did the others but Gerald was perfectly serious. He grabbed Phoebe and took her to the dance floor, starting the seducing early.

"Well that's fornication for yah." Helga shrugged and looked to the staring boys who were looking at...her? Helga looked around and then at them. "You guys okay?" Helga asked her hands on her hips.

"Fine...umm fine." Sid eyed her lustfully.

"Yea, were ugh good...Helga." Harold agreed nudging Stinky who nodded quickly. Arnold still hadn't spoken, just Helga's appearance made Arnold heavy in a certain area, he tried to distract his thoughts but it felt like a failed effort.

"Helga, would you like to dance?" Lorenzo stared into Helga's turquoise eyes intensely. He stood tall above her his hand out. Helga wouldn't deny that Lorenzo was very attractive and it would be nice to see Arnold get annoyed. She took his hand.

"You better be a good dance partner." Helga scowled.

"Trust me I'll wipe that scowl off your face in the first minute." He sniped at her neck, Helga giggled and glanced at a angry Arnold staring at her. The two walked to the dance floor.

8 Drinks Later...

Arnold gulped down the beer like it was water watching tipsily as Helga grinded against Lorenzo who in turn pushed back all that she gave. She would whip her blonde hair a bit and smirk at Lorenzo as his hands ventured around her thighs a bit. Arnold knew what Helga was doing, he wasn't as dense as people claimed him to be. He would catch Helga wink at him, smirk even go as far as to bit her lips and dance harder upon Lorenzo just to get a rise out of Arnold. Arnold watched on wanting to kill Helga and make out with her all at the same time. He would make her pay and he knew she knew that...whenever Arnold was drunk and vengeful the makeout sessions were intense for both of them, they would go past levels they never reached without question or doubt. But he needed another beer, making her pay would have to wait.

As Arnold entered the kitchen he was greeted with a auburn wavy haired beauty sitting alone with lots of empty bottles of Smirnoff laying around. She had on a green mini dress it was off the shoulder and complemented her sun kissed freckled skin. Arnold looked closely trying to focus the spinning room. "Lila." He said. The girl looked up and looked into his green eyes.

"Oh my is that you Arnold?" Lila slurred happily.

"Hey Lila." Arnold plopped down in the stool chair cumbersomely. Lila giggled.

"Oh Arnold I' ever so glad to see you." Lila winked. Lila Sawyer was flirting with Arnold? Arnold smirked to himself, he never in a million years would have thought she would be here and drunk flirting with him. Wait what the hell was Lila doing here?!

"Lila why are you here? Last time I heard from you was back in 8th grade when you announced you were moving with your aunt back in Pleasantville." Arnold sobered up a bit by the shocking presence of his childhood crush.

"Oh yes well I recently moved back to start my senior year here. My father and aunt thought it was best." Lila smiled but it was fake and held back a totally different emotion.

"What did you think?" Arnold asked.

"Huh what?" Lila asked looking to the handsome blonde in front of her. He truly had changed.

"What did you think was best?" Arnold leaned in closer. Lila looked away feeling the tears spill down her eyes. Arnold raised his eyebrows as he watched the sweet girl cry.

"Oh Arnold, I hate it ever so much!" She placed her hands on her face crying into her palms. Arnold stood up and placed his hand on her shoulder gently. Startled Lila looked up from her tears.

"What's wrong Lila? Why are you in here by yourself?" Arnold asked sweetly, he was so concerned it made Lila smile.

"Still helping out as much as possible. Huh?" Lila smiled showing her adorable dimples. Arnold could feel himself falling into them, falling into her hazel brown eyes.

"A bit." He shrugged waiting for her answers to his questions.

"Well no one likes me here, and I have no idea why? and I'm in here alone because well no one cared to introduce me to anyone, Rhonda was just ever so mean Arnold." Lila frowned deeply, completely hurt. Arnold shook his head, he knew the nature of the PS118 girls, it was just like when Lila first moved here, they were jealous of her.

"Remember when you first moved here." Arnold asked sitting back at his stool.

"Umm why yes." Lila said.

"Well the girls played mean tricks on you because they were jealous and well being honest Lila...you're beautiful, sweet and smart." Arnold was stuttering and blushing, his cheeks feeling heated. Lila blushed and turned away but batted her eyes toward Arnold.

"That was jut ever so nice of you Arnold but I don't think they're jealous. They're all so beautiful! I saw Phoebe briefly with Gerald...that was a sight." Lila laughed. Arnold couldn't help but chuckle along with her, talking with Lila was so free fall but with Helga he couldn't pry anything out of her, no emotion no background history, no present and no future. _Why am I comparing them_, he thought.

"Umm Lila would you like to talk on the roof, maybe it'll help us sober up a bit." Arnold suggested.

"Why sure Arnold." She smiled politely. They stood up and walked off together up the stairs.

**25 Dances later...**

"Crimney Lorenzo, you sure know how to tire a girl." Helga panted leaning on Lorenzo for support.

"I just threw back what you gave." Lorenzo winked at her, Helga couldn't help the blush forming.

Lorenzo was a great dance partner and the connection of his fingertips on her back and thighs were nice. Her attention though was on Football head who had been missing for over an hour. The party was dispersing and once again the PS118 crew were left this time with Park included, him and Nadine were quite interested in each others tongues at the moment. Lorenzo looked over to Nadine and Park and laughed his hands pulling off the beanie rubbing through his sweaty hair.

"Crazy huh?" Lorenzo smiled.

"Umm hey Lorenzo...I..." How could Helga say this, she just wasn't interested in Lorenzo right now. Her thoughts were interrupted by his mouth crashing down on hers. Her eyes widened but then closed and pushed back slightly. It was a quick kiss but sweet none the less.

"I understand, hit me up when you're ready." He waved off placing his beanie back on his head and telling everyone goodbye as he left.

Helga leaned against the wall briefly taken aback. Lorenzo had nice lips but they weren't Arnold's lips. Speaking of Arnold. Helga went off looking for the Football head but couldn't find him anywhere. _Last place to check is the roof_, Helga thought. Helga stepped out onto the roof to see two chairs sitting quite closely together and a Football shaped head leaning into an auburn haired girls kiss. This just couldn't be happening.

"Ar-Arnold?" Helga spoke.

**She spoke words that would melt in your hands. She spoke words of wisdom.**

**In the basement, Many surprises await you**

**You hid there last time, you know we're gonna find you**

**Sick in the car seat cause you're not up to going **

**Out on the main streets completing your mission**

A/N: Well that's it leaving it on a cliffy because I'm a sadist. But I guess the basement was the roof. Haha I noticed a lot of Hey Arnold fics don't ever mention Lorenzo. I loved the guy, he was down to earth for a wealthy kid and pretty mature. He reminded me a lot of Arnold actually, just good natured but more sly. Hopefully I got him down.

**Allusions**

Justin Beaver = Justin Beiber

Big Wayne = Lil Wayne

**Stuff I need you to tell me**

Did you like the description of the PS118 kids so far?

The pairings?

**How do you guys like Lorenzo? **(Bold for a reason)

Or just tell me in general what you liked/disliked... be honest... I really don't wanna hear crap about grammar. My work is quite readable and I do try my hardest to make it accurate. So cha. See yah bro's until next time!

Love always, Morgan!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Well here we are again. I really don't have much to say, I've pulled an all nighter. I'm tired but awake(contradiction) Listening to muse though this will not influence _this_ chapter. Enjoy! Hint chapter 4 will be amazing. Enjoy the drama in this one! Thanks for reviews! Another long chapter

Songs Featured: Where is Your Heart by Kelly Clarkson & Say It Right by Nelly Furtado (Check em out)

Disclaimer: I Don't Own Hey Arnold.

**Chapter 3**

**Where Is Your Heart**

How was Arnold in this kiss? He could taste sweet strawberry upon his own lips and the pressure felt so safe, so sweet as opposed to the passionate intense kisses he had with Helga. He liked Helga's kisses, hell he would even go as far to say he loved them but not once were her kisses innocent or just sweet. Kissing Lila made him realize that those sweet soft slow kisses were the ones that determined what was relationship quality. Who was he kidding Helga felt nothing for him and he honestly felt nothing for her except attraction. _Why do I always want to be with her though_, the thought crossed his mind. _Why do I feel the need to solve her, protect her_, his thoughts were killer and was interrupting the sweet kiss planted on him. He leaned in closer and deepened the kiss hearing Lila sigh and push back softly. _So this is sensitivity_, he thought.

"Ar-Arnold?" Helga spoke.

Arnold immediately froze. _Fuck_, he thought. He abruptly pulled away and opened his eyes to see Lila's beautiful hazel eyes that were still dazed from the kiss. Arnold looked over his shoulder to see a confused Helga. Her body was limp in its position and her eyes brimmed with water, her lips slightly parted and breaths shallow. Arnold didn't speak, he felt guilty, caught. _Why do I feel like this, like I owe her an explanation...we're not together_, he thought.

"Helga? Is that you?!" Lila's voice was heard. Arnold didn't turn to Lila, he still watched Helga. Helga didn't look Lila in the eyes. Arnold figured she knew it was Lila.

"Yea its me." Helga said through gritted teeth.

"I'm ever so glad to see you. You're ever so stunning now!" Lila cheered happily. Arnold saw Helga chuckle slightly, it wasn't heart felt though.

"Wish I could say the same for you." Arnold could hear Lila gasp. "You've always been just _so_ stunning." Helga seethed. Lila giggled cheerily not noticing Helga's extreme sarcasm and dislike of the red head.

"Why thank you ever so much Helga. Why don't you join Arnold and I?" Lila suggested kindly. Arnold waited for the response, scared of what Helga would say or do at this point.

"No thanks Little-miss-perfect, I need to go home, now." Helga clenched her jaw and stared at Arnold like she truly hated him. Arnold shifted uncomfortably from the glare.

"Oh, well maybe next time, since I'll be living here for senior year." Arnold could feel Lila smile sweetly but he couldn't help but still look at Helga. He just felt so guilty.

"Oh that's great! Just so fucking great." Helga yelled, her voice dipped in sarcasm. "Well let me leave and let you guys continue...I don't want to be anyone's _burden_." Helga said harshly. Arnold watched as Helga left without waiting for any type of response. Arnold let everything sink in and he looked at Lila.

"Umm Lila I don't want Helga walking by herself at this late hour...do you mind?" Arnold cleared his throat. Lila's eye grew wide with concern.

"Of course not Arnold. Go!" Lila smiled encouragingly. Arnold without a farewell left running after his friend, Helga G. Pataki.

He could hear his heart pounding as he made his way through Rhonda's maze like house. _I need to find her_, he thought. She couldn't have gone that far so Arnold now outside of Rhonda's looked around for the blonde. Where was Helga? Arnold pulled out his cell and tried to reach her but every call lead him to her voicemail.

"This is Helga G. Pataki, whatever the hell you want or have to say better be important. Oh and Bucko don't leave a message unless it is important."

BEEP

"Hey Helga it's Arnold. Answer the phone, please. It's almost 3am and you're out by yourself. I just need to know your safe...please Helga." Arnold pleaded through the phone, he had done this 4 times and still no answer. He looked to his phone and could see the battery was dangerously low as he roamed around the dark streets for Helga. After a silent prayer he called again and was greeted with a voice but for some strange reason he kept listening out for the voicemail thinking she didn't answer yet again.

"Hello!" Helga yelled.

"Oh shit Helga!" Arnold yelled shocked she actually answered.

"Yea Sherlock, who else would answer." She spat venomously. Arnold was really starting to get pissed off with her attitude.

"I don't' know Helga maybe a mugger, a rapist even a serial killer! Where are you? I've been looking for you all night?" Arnold yelled into the receiver.

Helga was quiet for a long time and Arnold took the time to calm down but he just couldn't, he was beyond pissed at her. She always did a disappearing act never letting him explain himself or even finishing a serious matter. This was Helga, a coward.

"I took a taxi. I'm home, go back to Lila." Helga sneered. Arnold kicked a can laying on the ground.

"Fuck Helga! Is this what this whole thing is about?" Arnold yelled.

"Whoa! Arnold lower your damn voice, one. And two I could care less about that little miss perfect bitch!" Helga angrily spoke.

"Sure that's why you jetted the first chance you got." Arnold growled. Helga was taken aback by Arnold's behavior, he was being so mean.

"Well of course I did, I felt awkward interrupting your makeout session with the little goodie two shoes." Helga yelled.

"We weren't making out Helga! It was just a kiss dammit." Arnold was yelling like a madman in the streets getting complaints from the neighbors.

"Mhmm sure." Helga said childishly. Arnold was so tired of trying, so tired of being patient, so tired of being good.

"You know what Helga, it doesn't matter. You sure didn't have a problem grinding against Lorenzo tonight, all night." Arnold could feel himself shaking violently. He had the urge to hit something, he was never this angry but of course Helga even had to test that.

"That's dancing! I didn't make out with him." Helga screamed. Arnold could hear Big Bob yelling in the background. He just listened.

**The Pataki House...**

Helga immediately covered her mouth after screaming into the phone. _Shit_, she thought. Helga could hear Big Bob's loud footsteps to her door and her door slammed opened banging loudly against her wall.

"What in the hell are you yelling about at 4am!" Big Bob screamed at her. Helga annoyed with the world, Arnold and life just wasn't in the mood.

"None of your damned business, Bob." Helga seethed, she sat the phone down on her bed. Arnold would have to wait.

"None of my damned business. Look here little bitch I work all day and night to support this family! All I ask for is the nights to actually sleep!" Bob yelled.

"What family Bob?! Olga left and is happily married, she never calls or visits. Miriam is a fucking drunk! And you don't even remember my own damn name!" Helga stomped her foot hard upon the hard wood floor. "Its not like you even live here, I know what you're really doing when your not here! I hope she's fun for your sake." Helga spat, a defiant smirk plastered on her face. She watched as Big Bob's jaw clenched and his face reddened in the dark of her room. As if in slow motion she could see his right hand cross over the other side of him and land hard upon her cheek.

Helga's eyes opened to see her hard wood floor, her cheek was burning profusely. Her eyes brimmed with tears a few fallen already from the strong impact. Laying on her left side she lifted herself up with her left elbow and looked at the man that put her in this position. Her mind was speeding with so many thoughts but everything was moving in slow motion. The embarrassment, disappointment, shame, regret and sadness was building up. Her heart was shattering, her chest tightened. Why was she feeling like this. Her right cheek numb and aching all at the same time. Did emotional pain out weigh the physical? Her dad hit her. _My dad_, she thought looking into his hateful grey eyes.

"You ever talk to me like that again little lady, I promise I'll have you out of this house." He gritted his teeth and turned away from her, closing her door rather loudly.

Helga shook on the floor feeling the pangs of pain shoot all over her chest. She was in so much pain but not from the purple mark on her cheek but from the emotional pain. _My dad hit me_, Helga thought again. She squeezed her fist tightly, biting her lower lip till she could taste the blood. _I don't wanna cry_, she screamed in her head. She could feel her insides tighten hard and she clenched her stomach painfully wanting the pain to go away wanting reality to disappear. Everything was falling apart, her family, friends and Arnold.

"Arnold." Helga jumped up and grabbed the phone only to see her wall screen. Arnold had hung up.

_Did he hear everything?_ Helga shut her phone and closed her eyes praying to whoever for Arnold to not have heard anything. But deep down she knew he heard and that scared her. What would Arnold think of her? Helga went into her bathroom to look at the damage. Turning on the bright pale light in her bathroom she closed her eyes tightly and decided that it would be now or never. As she slowly opened her teal eyes she could make out the sounds of her tub dripping. _Drip Drop Drip Splat _

**4am Boarding House...**

Arnold stepped to the side of the boarding house and climbed the fire escape leading to his room. His mind kept flashing back to Helga.

_'What in the hell are you yelling about at 4am!' Big Bob screamed at her._

_"None of your damned business, Bob." _That's when Arnold could only hear mumbling. Helga had probably put the phone down.

_"None of my damned business. Look here little bitch I work all day and night to support this family! All I ask for is the nights to actually sleep!" Bob yelled. _

Arnold had no idea Bob spoke to Helga that way, sure Helga was being disrespectful but no one deserved to be called a 'bitch' especially from their own father.

_"What family Bob?! Olga left and is happily married, she never calls or visits. Miriam is a fucking drunk! And you don't even remember my own damn name!" Helga stomped her foot hard upon the hard wood floor. "Its not like you even live here, I know what you're really doing when your not here! I hope she's fun for your sake." Helga spat. _

Arnold closed his eyes thinking about all the time he had no need of sneaking in, walking past Helga's mother who lay lifeless behind the couch, a drink spilling over. Helga never spoke about Olga and well Olga was never around anymore. He didn't question Helga about anything, he just thought that by asking, by prying it would only push her away and from the news of this she was pushed away all her life.

Then Arnold heard it. The noise was loud and very distinct, without hesitation he could hear something crash loud against Helga's hard wood floors. Arnold panicked, his throat closed up and his body stiffened from its walking. He stood in the middle of the street listening. His fist tightened around his phone, he could do nothing.

_"You ever talk to me like that again little lady, I promise I'll have you out of this house."_ He heard Bob say.

Bob had hit his daughter. SLAM. Arnold knew it was the slamming of the door. He needed to be with Helga, right now but he found himself not moving, he found himself not speaking. Parents weren't like this. He knew about abuse cases but having a friend, Helga being the abused was just out of question.

Bee-ee-ep..._Shit no_, he thought. His phone was about to die. _Not now dammit._

"Helga...Helga." He called a few more times but then he felt his phone vibrate against his warmed cheek. It had died.

Now Arnold found himself opening the sky window and flopping on his bed. This was reality. Parents weren't always good to their children and people acted the way they did because of reality. Helga was who she was because reality molded her and Arnold was who he was because dreaming was his only motivation. Arnold lay stiff in bed still unchanged still unmoved. His parents were dead, he didn't know what parents could be like but he did learn on that cloudy 7th grade morning that the good had it the hardest. Was Helga in that category? His eyes shut tight and took a shallow breath. After that morning Arnold had changed, he knew deep down that they wouldn't return but being who he was Mr. Brightside he had hope. Everything changed, he had no hope and his morals became rather loose. Flings with girls meant nothing but he always found himself chickening out when it came to sealing the deal, the deal being sex. Drinking wasn't that bad and small bets at Big Gino's was nearly harmless but it changed him and gave him a reputation around freshman year. Arnold the bad boy with the golden heart. What type of reputation was that? _Every cliché chick flick movie_, he thought. He heard his door open and there stood his grandpa, Phil. Phil looked the same with a little more wrinkles and gray eyebrows.

"Hey Short man." Phil said knowingly. Phil always knew what was up and as much as Arnold hated to admit it...he knew he was just like Phil growing up.

"Nothing grandpa." Arnold rolled over to his left side.

"Doesn't look like nothing. You just came in Short man, its 4 something. What happened? This another one of your boyhood problems?" Phil asked sitting at Arnold's desk chair that was facing Arnold.

"Grandpa its not another one of my boyhood problems." Arnold said it bitterly rubbing the temples on his head. Why was it when it came to these talks with his grandpa he would get agitated. "Look you wouldn't be able to understand." Arnold said calmer. He looked to see a hurt expression upon his grandpa's face.

Phil looked to his grandson and was greeted with Arnold's change. When he looked at Arnold it was like looking at his son Miles. Arnold had changed so much physically and mentally. Arnold had now sprouted up to 5'11, his head shape was more pleasant, it still was oblong but was smaller like his mothers, Stella. He held his father's features but had his mothers eyes and a mixture of their noses.

"Arnold when did we stop talking?" Arnold was stunned by the question. He had to think, around 8th grade. "When did I miss all the changes in you boy? I wish I could have caught on sooner, helped you more but I guess I was distracted by Gertie's health." Phil looked down sorrowfully and looked to see Arnold fully paying attention.

"Grandpa, I'm sorry...it's just a lot and I don't want you to think any differently about me." Arnold looked truthfully into his grandpa's jaded eyes. He could see the experience and age in them.

"Well talk short man. I've never judged you and well I've made my fair share in mistakes." Phil averted his eyes reliving in the past and quickly thought back to the subject with a coy smile. "This about the girl with the pink bow and one eyebrow?" Arnold raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

"Well she traded up the bow for a pink mini dress and the one eyebrow for a pair." Arnold smirked looking away from his grandpa's sly smile.

"Go on Arnold. I'm not getting younger you know." Phil said jokingly but Arnold closed his eyes taking in the words seriously. _No you're not getting younger_, he thought.

"Well umm...well Helga and I... we kind of kissed the beginning of the summer." Arnold stuttered. Phil just nodded waiting for the long stuttered story to come out. "And well we kind of have been kissing for awhile now...is it hot in here grandpa...it's pretty hot." Arnold tugged at the collar of his shirt sitting up.

"Arnold...continue." Phil said. Arnold cleared his throat very uncomfortable.

"Well we've kissed for the entire summer...and today was Rhonda's big senior party and umm well I wanted to ask Helga to go...as a date." Arnold averted his eyes to his cd's lying in a big pile. "She umm said that Sid already asked her and so I said it was better that we umm...well." Arnold could feel the sweat falling down from his forehead.

"You said it was better you two didn't go together so that it wouldn't look exclusive that you're seeing each other."

"Yea!"

"That you didn't want to be seen as boyfriend and girlfriend." Phil nodded.

"Yes exactly grandpa."

"Dumb Arnold, very dumb but continue." Phil shook his head.

"What?! How?"

"Just continue." Arnold sighed loudly annoyed.

"Well she came to the party dressed...well very nice." Arnold coughed at the word nice. "She danced all night with Lorenzo and had the nerve to wink at me and smirk at me every chance she got." Arnold put his hands in a fist, thinking about just how closely they were dancing. "Well I went in the kitchen and saw an old friend." Arnold said thinking about Lila's lips again..._Oh shit Lila_, he thought.

"Let me guess you saw that red head Lulu again." Phil said sarcastically.

"Lila grandpa." Arnold corrected.

"Well you kissed her huh?"

"Umm...how did you know?"

"Helga saw didn't she...thus why you're here." Phil said ignoring Arnold's previous question. Arnold looked down and nodded. "How did she react?"

Arnold cleared his thought and thought back to her eyes, they were filled with so much disappointment. "She was angry but civil about it."

"Well after she ran off, I assume. You chased after her and what happened?" Arnold stunned by his grandpa's accuracy.

"She was too fast and got a cab home." Arnold decided not to tell his grandpa about what he heard over the phone, it wouldn't be right.

"So short man, you need help with the two girls. Deciding who you want." Phil asked. Arnold turned away and nodded.

With Lila all the unrequited feelings returned. She was sweet, easy going, and tender. Helga was the opposite or she presented herself that way. Either way Helga was closed off and having a relationship with Helga being closed off wouldn't be a relationship at all. If he really liked her he would have asked her out by now, right?

"No I think I'm good grandpa." Arnold announced.

"Then why are you depressed short man?" Phil looked knowingly at Arnold, Arnold turned his gaze away, he didn't need this right now.

"I'll be fine." He said slowly. "I'm tired, so I think I'm going to sleep...night grandpa." Arnold said getting up lifting his shirt up dismissively.

Phil stood and walked over to the door but stood sill watching Arnold's back. Right when he had Arnold, Arnold closed himself off completely.

"Arnold whenever you're ready to talk let me know. You will need me, cause right now you dont have the answers because you refuse to ask the questions." Arnold could see the disappointment in his grandpa's eyes and it hurt to let anyone down, especially for him.

"Refuse to ask the questions..." Arnold whispered the words as he tore off his jeans. He got under his covers and thought about all the questions he had, he realized he had so many. Two stuck out the most.

_'Does Helga love me & do I love her?' _With those questions in mind he went to sleep.

**Part 2**

**Say It Right**

The first two weeks of school had come and gone with a slow and agonizing pain. Concealer couldn't cover up the marks, nether could everyone's concern which would end with rude remarks and brash thinking. Helga G. Pataki barely got to see Arnold in school, they had no classes together for their fields of interest and talents were in other subjects. Arnold excelled well in science, math and history, while she did fairly well in English, psychology and journalism. The only time they saw each other was during lunch and neither of them buckled down and spoke a word to each other. Arnold would occasionally glance at Helga and she would do the same but whenever eye contact was made the two turned away without a second thought.

Helga sighed loudly to herself looking at the empty lunch table, another day of no communication with Arnold. Helga sat down at the usual table and waited for her PS118 friends, which consisted of the usual Harold, Rhonda, Phoebe, Gerald, Nadine, Curly, Stinky, Sid, Lorenzo, Sheena, Eugene, Arnold and now a new edition..._Li-la._ Helga had an immediate scowl on her face just thinking about the red head. She sat down and waited for anyone to distract her of thought of Arnold and little miss perfect. She felt a presence and looked over to her right to see Arnold sitting in his usual spot which was directly across from her. She looked into his eyes and smirked a bit. "Of course this is _my_ fate" Helga looking up at the ceiling. She looked at Arnold again to see he was just as uncomfortable as she was. Did he know? She had the chance to ask, no one was here yet and because she was let out of class out ten minutes early lunch period wasn't quite yet. Now would be better. Let it all out ole girl, Helga prepped herself.

"So I'm assuming you heard, Football head." Helga said opening her fruit punch haterade. She watched Arnold nearly spit out his water, he chocked it back down and looked away only nodding. Helga just looked down, she felt so embarrassed but she had to hide it. "Don't worry about it, its no big deal." Helga waved her hand away. She watched Arnold's eyes widen and then narrow in confusion.

"No big deal." He repeated angrily. Helga looked up at Arnold feeling herself wanting to break down but just blowing ff the situation would save a lot of time and her feelings.

"Yea...I mean I kind of had it coming." Helga laughed nervously rubbing her arm looking down. Arnold just stared down at her. He looked truly upset, like he could hit something.

"You think I'm stupid Helga. Don't you?" Arnold tensed up his tone husky.

"No...Why would you say that? Look why don't we just forget it. That cool with you Arnold-o?" Helga smirked into his frustrated green eyes. Arnold sat still for a few brief moments and his body shot up and both his palms slammed down on the table inches from her own hands.

"No Helga!" Arnold was in her face now, they were just so close. "I'm tired of you telling me to forget about it and you answering for me. I'm done doing this with you. When are you going to trust me, let me talk for a change, see you?!" Arnold's head was tilted enough just to have met eye contact perfectly. He could see the tears forming in her teal eyes.

Helga gulped and turned away from him. She felt Arnold's finger tips under her chin turning her face to meet his. His eyes became so sensitive, the emerald green fiery and waving down in sparks of passion. "I care about you. Let me help you sometimes." Arnold's fingertips moved along the side of her face and his palm rested against her cheek. It wasn't until his thumb grazed below her eye that she noticed she was crying. "Arnold...I." Helga brought her gaze down too ashamed to even look into his beautiful eyes that melted her and held her. His thumb grazed her lips.

"Later we'll talk. After school the boarding house." Arnold didn't ask her, he demanded it and that's what made her agree and want to go, to be with him.

Helga watched as more of her PS118 friends came and talked, laughing at everyday things that seem so small and feeble among what reality was. Sometimes she wished she could truly laugh along and have the same meager problems they had but deep down Helga knew everyone at the table had their own secrets and masked it well. Helga today would try, she would attempt to smile but every time she turned her back she knew Arnold was just getting a bit more closer to Lila. Closing her eyes tight she could feel a hand land on her knee, she looked to her left to see Lorenzo give a wry smile. She gave a small smile and his hand moved away. Helga closed her eyes and with every second it seemed that life and time faded just a little bit more.

**After school Boarding House...**

Arnold was pressed against warm ivory skin. His own tan skin touching along hers. There lips moving in sync. Arnold knew this was wrong in a way but it was the only way he knew he could console her. Their lips tugged toward each other slowly but aggressively, her taste...the kisses were so different. They were tender and slow but still held that fiery passion and aggression. Arnold misinterpreted his kiss with Lila. If Helga and him could kiss like this he would define it as... never mind. _"Just cause you feel it doesn't mean it there." _Arnold thought to himself. He just needed to focus on Helga to enjoy their moments because something in him knew that everything would change. It always did with them or did nothing ever change?

Helga could feel herself being undressed. She could feel her hands pulling off clothes as well. When she came to the boarding house she knew that what ever would happen she would be ready for it and now it seemed that she was more than ready. She could feel Arnold's hips move into her pelvis and the moan she tried to stifle escaped. Her own hands rubbing his shoulders lovingly. They had never been this intimate, it scared her but she didn't stop, she just went along with it. She loved Arnold and knew that he didn't and couldn't ever so she abided by her own code. _"Expect nothing to get hurt less."_ She repeated it to herself while accepted kisses on her disappearing bruised cheek. He was being so caring it almost hurt to repeat the words in her head and with each word she could feel herself becoming more vulnerable and the pain searing. She felt the hot tears stream down and she felt Arnold stiffen against her, his green eyes looking into her teal ones. "Expect nothing...hurt less." She mumbled looking into him, a grim smile placed. Nothing would be the same after tonight, they both knew it.

**Oh you don't mean nothing at all to me. No, you don't mean nothing at all to me. **

**Oh, you've got what it takes to set me free. Oh, you could mean everything to me**.

**I can't say that I'm no lost and found. I cant say that I don't love the light and the dark . **

**I can't say that I don't know that I am alive. And all of what I feel I could show you tonight**

A/N: Another successful chapter. I don't care for the lengths much. Sometimes its 7-12 pages sometimes more(Hint WAYYY more). Welp review please. None of that grammar shit, I try believe me.

**Allusions**

Haterade = Gaterade

"Just cause you feel it doesn't mean its there" = Radiohead quote

"Expect nothing to get hurt less" = My best friend said it once, fell in love!

See yah later broski's!

Love always, Morgan!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Last chapter was drama filled, told you:) Now for a really good chapter. I was very excited to write this! Very long so enjoy peeps, 22 pages!

Song Featured: We Found Love by Rihanna

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the show Hey Arnold. I just own my originality;)

**Chapter 4**

**We Found Love**

Helga caught her breath. She walked through the school doors as she normally had, but this time with less stomp and firmness in her steps, it was more painful each step but the pain signified something totally different. This pain clamped around her pelvis and inner body as she made her way to Phoebe's locker. Phoebe hadn't arrived yet and Helga didn't mind, she just wanted to relieve in the moment of Friday night. She pressed her back against the cold and hardness of the blue lockers and took a shallow breath in, her eyes closed and never felt more alive and more matured in her life. A smile crept on her face, it was small but there, her eyes fluttering between intakes of the images of Friday. Tan skin upon her ivory skin, the feel of his tender fingertips grazing her arms and inner thighs. His soft urging kisses upon her plump pouty lips. She could feel her stomach tightening and the flashbacks disappearing as she felt a realistic figure approach her. Her eyes opened and looked to see her short friend, Phoebe, give her a confused expression. "Great morning, huh Pheebs?" Helga looked out but Phoebe could tell it wasn't to or at anything particular.

"Yes, it is quite an extraordinary morning." Phoebe stared on at this new blonde female. Helga only held a small smile. Phoebe found herself scared but excited to see what Helga would do next. Phoebe felt a gentle yet heavy weight being bestowed upon her small shoulders. She smiled to herself knowing exactly who it was.

"Hey baby girl." She felt his cool lips against her ear lobe. A blushing grin appeared on the delicate Asian's face, Phoebe however in person was anything but delicate. She had an edge about her and was into the partying scene, in fact her and Helga had a party to plan this weekend while her parents were off.

"umm hey baby." Phoebe purred facing her beautiful dark skinned tone boyfriend. His skin was flawless and his looks so masculine and model like. He was absolutely intoxicating. She couldn't wait to be alone with Gerald for the weekend...for various reasons.

Gerald pressed his mouth against his girlfriends, feeling her small lips press into his more cushioned ones. It was a great contrast. He tasted her a bit longer feeling the need to trace the tip of his tongue along her bottom lip, begging for access. He didn't know why he had missed her so much but dammit he just needed to feel her, taste her...right now! She parted her lips turning her head to the side allowing him to do as he pleased. What everyone didn't know was that Phoebe was the dominate one in bed, she directed Gerald and even found ways for them to get a high for both. Gerald didn't mind as long as he had her overly satisfied. Slipping his tongue in and playing with hers for a bit then he pulled away taking her bottom lip with him and finally opening his eyes to show her his coy smile. _Wish it was after school,_ Gerald thought.

Upon thinking of the release, Gerald looked over toward a tall blonde who had..._Oh my God, she's smiling_, Gerald thought watching with now wide and curious eyes. Gerald couldn't help but think possibly the world was coming to an end. He gripped his girlfriends waist tighter praying silently for strength to ask what was wrong with Helga. Until he saw his best friend approach them. He had his love sick grin and his eyes were half idled. Gerald looked upon the two blondes and his eyes widened.

"What the hell?" Gerald said but the two didn't hear him. Phoebe jabbed Gerald and gave him a curious look.

Gerald knew this look very well, he had it when him and Phoebe...

"Oh my God!" Gerald yelled. Everyone in the hallway looked at him, stopping in their tracks.

"Gerald you alright?" Phoebe asked concern in her eyes with a bit of fright. Gerald continued to look at the two blondes who were shyly smiling at each other but their eyes were full of... _Oh no this isn't happening_, Gerald thought. Phoebe watched as Gerald shook his head over and over again. "Gerald, babe?" Phoebe meekly said touching his bicep. Gerald was feeling dizzy and the next thing he knew everything had become dark.

**Nurses Office...**

Arnold sat on the chair against the wall looking at his friend laying on the nurses bed cot. Arnold had no idea why Gerald had passed out, hopefully it had nothing to do with football practice. The coach was pretty tough on them but still, Gerald never gave up or showed an ounce of exhaustion. Whatever it was had to have some importance. Arnold tried to focus his attention on Gerald but his mind kept going back to Friday night. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to daydream, something not remotely foreign to him.

Arnold drifted to his bed, the feel of soft ivory skin against his muscled body. The contrast felt amazing. He could see her shutter underneath him as he felt himself trying to become one with her. She felt amazing, she tasted amazing, she in general is amazing. Her soft tears falling down her cheeks, the sweat glistening on her frail body. Arnold caught his breath and remembered he did the same as he could feel her tighten around him. He wanted to go back to that feeling. It was like no other feeling in the world. Her hands held onto him, fingertips boring into his shoulders releasing pressure that had built up in her lower half. He blinked back to the gentle feel and slow feel of their movements. How was it that when they moved it matched perfectly, too perfectly? He couldn't help but feel himself tense from wanting to be apart of her again. Arnold opened his eyes to movement. He looked to his best friend, aware that reality was now in the present. Gerald's eyes fluttered and opened slowly to see a blonde teen looking at him.

"You're not a virgin anymore. Are you?" Gerald said hazily.

Arnold was taken aback by the question. He fell out the chair he was carelessly resting on. Arnold met eyes with the badge floor, after lifting off with his palms and sitting on the floor more correctly his eyes looked back into Gerald's un phased ones.

"...I...what did you say?" Arnold asked. Maybe Gerald had something else and Arnold just imagined the question.

"You're not a virgin." Gerald repeated himself looking into contemplating green eyes. Arnold looked down for a moment and looked into the deep brown eyes of Gerald. He nodded twice and looked away. Gerald immediately sat up his knees up and separated comfortably, his elbows propped on both caps. He sighed loudly. "Mmm Mmmm Mmmmm." Gerald had laughter in his voice but it was harsh. Arnold couldn't take the anticipation any longer.

"What are you going to say Gerald?" Arnold asked frustrated waiting for the famous lecture Gerald was going to pose. Gerald laughed harshly.

"Nothing man." Gerald placed his feet off the bed cot and had his palms placed on either side of him ready to lift off when Arnold spoke.

"Nothing? That's it?" Arnold asked skeptically with a bit of agitation.

"Nope nothing." Gerald shrugged sarcastically, a smug look on his face. Arnold at this point was getting pissed, he knew Gerald would have a shit load to say whether it be praise or the latter.

"Gerald you and I both know you have something to say. So just say it." Arnold said flatly, his shoulders tensing. Gerald looked emotionless into Arnold green eyes and then it went to shaking his head.

"Honestly Arnold at this point I have nothing to truly say to you that will make you happy in the least bit man." Arnold's eyes widened and then narrowed. "You dug yourself a grave and you'll be lying in it soon." Gerald simply shrugged and stood up, walking toward the door. Arnold stood just as quickly and placed an arm in Gerald's way.

"Hold up now Gerald. What are you implying?" Arnold asked angrily. Gerald gave him a 'really' look.

"Arnold, you and Helga aren't official and what you did is only going to drive you guys further apart. Plus you got that poor Lila girl into this mess." Gerald shoved off Arnold's arm and tried to leave. Arnold was now placed at the door.

"One, Lila's my friend Gerald." Arnold scoffed. "Two, Helga and I are...fine." Arnold turned away but looked back at his best friend who was now laughing critically.

"You're right Arnold, everything is rainbow and butterflies now. I won't say anything...you'll see for yourself." Gerald shrugged and butted shoulders into Arnold's to move him. Arnold shoved Gerald and the two were dangerously close into each others face. The door opened and the nurse slipped in looking at the two males.

"Ahem." She announced her presence. They both glanced at her and after a brief heated glance toward each other they moved apart.

"I'm fine now, thanks." Gerald said to the nurse leaving quite quickly. Arnold watched as Gerald walked away, taking in Gerald's words but it didn't compute..._it didn't want to. Besides the future is so far away_, Arnold thought slipping out the office.

**Lunch...**

Arnold walked into the lunch room granted with an early release of his previous class, there sitting quietly was Lila who was munching away at a sandwich. Arnold could feel a tug of his lips going upward. She was quite a sight in white skinnies and a pale green shirt. He slide his hands inside his pockets and walked over. "Hey Lila." He smiled coyly.

She sent him her brightest smile, those beautiful white teeth reflecting. "Oh hello Arnold. Early dismissal as well?" She asked quietly. He nodded sweetly. Lila had their AP anatomy and physiology book out.

"AP anatomy and physiology during lunch? Not a good combo." He joked.

"Oh you're ever so right." Lila said almost bitterly. Arnold raised an interested eyebrow. "But I need to study, I'm afraid I don't exactly have the best grade." Arnold was doing great the class, in fact he was ahead, his grade was an 97. He pondered his thoughts for a moment and being the do-gooder that he was decided despite Gerald's accusation. that he would indeed help Lila with her studies. They were friends after all, right? _Friends that kissed and flirt daily_, Arnold's pestering thoughts interrupted.

"Well umm Lila..." Lila looked at Arnold to see his hands fiddling together and looking at his awkward tapping feet. "I umm have a 97 in the class and I'm not saying at all... or implying you need help but ugh... if you need it...I could...umm help." He was dark red at this point and he looked up to see a giggling Lila. Arnold frowned embarrassed. He heard Lila scribble something down on a piece of paper and then rip it out.

"Arnold." She said, he looked up to see her grabbing his hand and slipping the sheet in his hand. He opened his hand to see 10 digits written down. "Call me maybe tomorrow if your not busy we can study at my place?" Arnold's surprised eyes looked into Lila's beautiful hazel feeling his love sick grin approach. "Well I mean studying for you would be useless, you could just tutor me. I bet you're a great teacher." Lila winked. Arnold's mouth went ajar and Lila giggled. Soon the rest of the gang approached except Gerald, Phoebe and Helga. That left Arnold a bit uncomfortable but with Lila chatting him up he decided to let it be.

Helga, Phoebe and Gerald sat at Slausens in the booth waiting for their order of fries and burgers. "Crimeny, I'm starved!" Helga pounded the table.

"Helga." Phoebe mothered.

"Phoebe we ordered like 15 minutes ago and lunch remind you is over in another 25." Helga's stomach growled.

"Sounds like you ate a monster." Gerald noted. "Wouldn't be surprised though that you won." Gerald laughed and Helga just glared at him.

"Johansson watch it." Helga dared with her eyes. Gerald stifled his laughter and gave his girlfriend a brief kiss on the cheek.

"Gotta take a leak." Gerald announced standing up.

"Gerald?!" Phoebe whined. He winked at his girlfriend.

"Of course the cretin would announce such a trifling." Helga marked sipping her yahoo and then burping profusely.

"And I'm the cretin." Gerald shot back going to the male restroom. Phoebe looked back at her boyfriend and then narrowed her eyes down at Helga.

"What was up with you this morning?" Phoebe asked. Helga choked on her yahoo.

"Oh...umm...nothing. aha Why do you ask?" Helga recovered an uneasy smile on her face.

"Helga...I know when something's up and well this morning you weren't...well um quite yourself." Phoebe remarked adjusted her glasses.

"I don't know what you're talking about Phoebe." Helga twirled the straw around in her drink.

Phoebe narrowed her eyes at the impossible female in front of her. She knew what was up, it was clear on her face. Something serious had happened with her and Arnold and Phoebe needed to know exactly what that serious was. She adjusted her glasses one last time and thought of a way to coax out the truth. She smirked coolly and then relaxed into the booth seat.

"Well then Helga it's okay if you feel like you don't need to tell me..." Helga raised a brow at Phoebe.

"Oh umm well okay Pheebs." Helga sipped her yahoo relaxing again.

"...since I already know." Phoebe said. Helga choked on her drink and the waiter came with there order of food. Phoebe sent a warm smile at the waiter who looked sheepishly at a choking blonde.

Helga's eyes widened and she felt panic course through her entire body. _God Phoebe knows_, Helga thought as she watched her petite friend eat her fries slowly. Helga shifted uncomfortably and looked at her meal that was steamy and enticing but she couldn't eat now. _Would it be that bad to tell Phoebe_, she thought. Phoebe told her of when Tall hair boy..._gross not even going down that route_, Helga mind vomited.

"How do you know Phoebe?" Helga stretched over the table staring down Phoebe.

"You have to be more specific Helga. I know lots of things, what exactly are you referring to?" Phoebe raised an eyebrow.

"Phoebe I'm begging you." Helga leaned in even closer bringing Phoebe's collar near her own face.

"Helga..what are you talking about." Phoebe feigned innocence.

"That I slept with Arnold!" Helga screamed, the whole restaurant looked toward the two as Helga slowly released Phoebe and Phoebe relaxed into her seat as Helga sheepishly fell into hers.

The restaurant went back to order trying to ignore the loud outburst. Helga finally free of embarrassment looked toward Phoebe and saw a dazed look of shock in her eyes.

"Pheebs." Helga said. Phoebe looked up at her friend.

"Yes...umm Helga." Phoebe answered still stunned.

"You didn't know, did you?" Helga asked flatly.

"Nope." Phoebe answered automatically, the two sat quietly until Gerald arrived.

"Finally, I'm starved." Gerald smiled at the girls and dug in. A loud sob broke out and Gerald looked to see his girlfriend crying, with fries stuffed in his mouth he tried to say her name. "Phem-b!"

"Oh Helga, I'm...I'm sooo," Sniffle. "Happy...huh, for...yo-ou!" Phoebe sobbed harder into her hand and Gerald gave Helga a quizzical look.

"Time of the month." Helga shrugged and ate her fries but she was trapped in her thoughts, her and Arnold weren't official and though she would love to say the sex was them making love, it really wasn't, well it was one sided but still.

The group returned to the lunch room just in time as the bell rang, after a long hug from Phoebe Helga made her way to her next class but at the front exit was Lila and Arnold walking together rather closely. Helga swallowed the pain in her throat and made her way to class. _Even after I gave him myself he still chooses to be with Lila_, She sighed feeling emptier than before.

Arnold clicked his pencil against his desk for the past half an hour still in thoughts about Friday night. He knew what he was doing was wrong but it felt so right, and the thing about that right that confused him was if it was hormone right or right emotionally. The bell rang and after school came, it was blessing. Maybe the walk home would ease his thoughts but then again he wanted to talk to Gerald but he was disappointed in him.

Arnold sighed to himself as he walked outside the school to see Gerald waving him down in the parking lot. Gerald stood at the drivers side of his black jeep liberty '08. He had worked toward it and with patience and determination he had bought his first car. Still with a part time job for gas and insurance he managed to treat himself, his family and Phoebe. Arnold had approached him and he just watched curiously at Arnold's thoughtful expression. "Slausens?" Gerald asked.

"You sure you want to be seen with me? I mean I'm not a virgin anymore. I don't want to ruin your image or anything." Arnold half joked.

"Ha ha good joke. Get in man." Gerald chuckled a bit sliding into the drivers side and started the car.

The drive was quiet and Arnold appreciated its silent because he knew once Gerald ordered his root beer float and Arnold ordered his banana split they would talk over everything. They had already ordered their food and sat at a booth for privacy. It was raining outside, the droplets amused Arnold as each slid off the glass windows.

"Why did you blow up at me like that?" Arnold had finally asked. Gerald gulped and his shoulders moved upward from the inhale of air and relaxed through the exhale.

"I just don't want to see you making a mistake. What you and Helga have effects not only you two but everyone around you, including Phoebe, the ps118 crew and I." Gerald seemed quite relaxed now, his tone was soft. Arnold's eyebrows furrowed.

"How does this effect you guys?"

"Well for one thing, you and Lila have a thing. Lorenzo and Sid both have a thing for Helga. Brainy and Curly love that girl like she's their sister. Phoebe is Helga's best friend...more like sisters and Phoebe is my girlfriend and you're my bro. Do you see how this affects everyone?" Gerald raised a eyebrow. Arnold sighed and leaned down into his seat. The waitress brought their ice cream. Arnold dug around his sundae with his spoon. While Gerald pigged out.

"She must be really special to you." Gerald finally spoke.

"Wha-what?" Arnold focused.

"Helga, she's special to you." He phrased it as a statement.

"Well of course...I mean...everyone's special-"

"Stop bullshitting. She's more than that to you."

"She's my ugh...friend, Gerald."

"You're really still claiming her as just a friend. You gave your virginity to her man!" Gerald's voice raised.

"Shhh Gerald." Hissed whispered.

"Huh...oh sorry." A sheepish smile. "But seriously Arnold, you love the girl." Gerald sipped his root beer float.

"Whoa... I do not love Helga!"

"Okay then explain how this mess happened? Why her?" Arnold was becoming frustrated with the endless questions and accusations. He was becoming the bad guy. He thought back to that night. After a long pause he spoke.

"You know Gerald, I always found myself wanting to comfort Helga, since we were kids. I guess I feel closer to her because she never allowed me to help her. Really if anything she's always helped me and no one does that. So that night I had the opportunity to help her and I could only do that through...umm well...ugh action."

"...Sooo..." Gerald started. "You are saying is that what you guys had was comfort sex?"

Arnold nodded.

"And you admit you have feelings for Helga?"

Arnold sighed and nodded again.

"This is bad." Gerald shook his head.

"Yea, I know." Arnold dropped his head on the booth table.

"Guess you need to figure that out. Does she have feelings for you?"

FTI flashed through Arnold's mind. "I think-"

"Never mind, of course she does. She gave you her first. It was her first time right?"

"Can we not talk about this Gerald?"

"Was it?"

"Huh yes okay."

"You're a bold kid Arnold. A bold kid."

**Later...**

Arnold's study sessions had become simple with Lila for the past 3 days. They would go to her house study and flirt, mostly study because Lila was no fun and afterward Lila would ask Arnold for some ice cream at Slausens, a walk in Tina park and even dinner cooked by her at her house. Arnold accepted gladly knowing after his 'dates' with Lila, Helga would be waiting on his bed to engage in some...healthy exercise methods.

**Tuesday**

Arnold found himself sitting at the dinning room table of Lila Sawyer's house. She was a pretty smart girl. She learned quickly and took in his every word but one flaw he could say was she never took intake on anything, she just went with things and claimed it law. I mean he knew there wasn't much to contradict in anatomy and Physiology but still not a single question of wonder. Tutoring had become boring. He drifted off into one of his daydreams and was quickly out of it when he heard Lila close her book, quite loudly. "I'm tired of studying!" Lila protested, she had a mischievous grin on her face. Quirking an eyebrow, Arnold waited for whatever she had to say. "I'm buying you ice cream Arnold Shortman." She smiled proudly her hands on her small hips.

"How about you take me to Slausens and I buy." Arnold offered.

"Well see Arnold that's a problem..." Lila trailed off. Arnold looked concerned for a moment.

"What's wrong Lila?" He asked.

"It's just I wanted to buy for us on our first date." Lila smirked. Arnold faced contorted to shock and then laughter and Lila joined in.

"So this is a date now?" Arnold wiggled a eyebrow as Lila playfully grabbed Arnold's arm.

"Mhmm." She smiled sweetly.

And thus the first date began. During the date Arnold informed Lila all that she had missed out on during high school. He even talked about Helga.

"You two are friends now?" Lila asked disbelief.

"Yea...you can say that." Arnold trailed off, Helga was so much more than a friend. She had become in a sense, his secret lover.

"Well I'm glad, she was ever so peculiar in her methods of friendship toward you." Lila giggled, she was referring to the small childhood crush Helga had.

"Yes, well she does everything a bit peculiar." He smiled but he wondered what caused Lila to laugh in such a way. He'd shrug it off, it wasn't of any importance he was sure.

Arnold walked in the boarding house a bit later than normal. "I'm home, Grandpa...Grandma." He called. Just silence. They must be asleep, he thought walking up the steps to his room, to find a Helga G. Pataki in pale pink lingerie. His eyes fell to her curvy ivory toned body. She lay on her left side, the left arm propped up on its elbow, her head resting in the palm of her left hand, hair falling over her face like golden thread. Her right arm resting on the peaks of mountains and sliding down the sloops to her hips.

"Hey Football Head, miss me?" She purred in a sultry voice. Arnold froze, his whole body tensed and heated. His heart was pounding out of his chest and his friend was...lets just say he was coming out of hiding. With one look out his door and a wink for us viewers, he shut the door. If you listened closely to the wooden door you could make out Arnold's voice saying "yes...very much."

**Wednesday**

The next day they had walked around Tina Park, their hands intertwined the entire time. The sun was setting and Arnold could feel Lila's petite form shiver. He rested his jacket over her shoulders gently and she blushed wickedly her face in a warm smile. He was placed in front of her, lifting her chin up to meet his eyes they kissed. Her lips were soft against his hardened bruised ones, thanks to Helga. And there it was his mind was on Helga. Once again he had thought of his morals that he just threw out easily. He broke the kiss and Lila looked upset, her hazel eyes glistening with the rejection. Arnold had to say something. "I want to take things slow with us." The words slipped out like word vomit. The truth was he didn't want to go slow with Lila, he wanted their relationship to sky rocket but he was being held back by a blonde with piercing turquoise eyes. He needed to see her, now.

The walk back to Lila's had been peaceful, she had believed his claim and was utterly excited at the idea. He felt like lying was in him now. He could do this, keep this juggling up, if he had wanted but he was sure Helga would notice and get suspicious soon. She already was. After they had sex yesterday she had asked him what took him so long to come home. And he lied saying he was with Gerald. He didn't have to lie to Helga about Lila, she wasn't his girlfriend but why did it feel like he was betraying Helga. He hated the predicament he was in but loved that it was forbidden and that he had all the power and control. He knew these thoughts were dark and so stereotypical guy of him but he just didn't give a fuck.

Sneaking around to Helga's backyard, he could make out the light in her room, Climbing the tree after grabbing a pebble or two. He threw a pebble at the window. Helga didn't look to the window, with another toss it made a loud CLINK. Helga opened her window to see a flaxen haired boy on a tree looking at her. She invited him in and Arnold made sure to give her the most pleasure imaginable. He kissed her everywhere...everywhere, and proceeded to seethe her in love. _Love,_ the thought came out again. He ignored its nagging and picked up the pace, he could feel her legs twitch as he found himself inside her. He wanted her to know that he controlled her, that her thighs were his, that she was his but he knew it was wrong but hell did it feel right.

**Thursday**

Arnold sat at Lila's kitchen on the stool watching her cook dinner for him! He smiled at how precise she was, how each spice she threw in brought out the taste buds on his tongue just by the smell of the food being cooked. It was mouthwatering just the scent itself and well Lila did look pretty with a blue apron on and her hair tied up in a mess bun. He looked through ring tones and found the perfect one for Helga. He hummed the tune in his head. 'You, your sex is on fire! And you, your sex is on fire. Consumed with what's to transpire!' Arnold chuckled to himself quietly and saw Lila staring at him curiously.

"You alright Arnold." Lila asked an amused expression on her face.

"Nothing Lila you just look cute, cooking for me." He gulped and tugged at his collar. Lila blushed and continued to cook with a smile on her face.

Lila had cooked and served Arnold dinner. It was delicious, her pasta. Arnold had opened the strawberry ice cream she had requested and Arnold didn't eat it because well someone he cared for was allergic. He claimed he had to leave for home to finish some assignments and Lila literally kicked him out saying his studies came first. Arnold couldn't help but think if it was Helga she would have told him to shove the homework where the sun don't shine. He chuckled all the way home thinking of the different scenarios in his head. He was hungry for dessert, a specific kind.

Helga was sitting on her bed typing up her English essay paper when her phoned beeped. Looking over to the pink case enclosing the phone, she ran her thumb over the touch screen going over to the notifications in the corner of the phone at the top. It said Message From Arnold. She could feel a smile tugging at her lips. She couldn't wait to see him but that didn't explain why he was never home right after school anymore, he didn't do football this year so no practice. It troubled her that he could be out with someone, _another girl_, Helga thought. She looked at the message.

**Football Head: Hey. Come over!**

Helga laughed to herself, he was demanding her to come over.

**Helga: You ever heard of manners Football Head?**

**Football Head: Oh excuse my manners. Helga get you're cute ass down here. **

**Helga: Cute ass? o_0 Why so bold and eager?**

**Football Head: I'm bored. Entertain me;)**

**Helga: You are one disturbing flirt, you know that Hairboy?**

**Football Head: Whatever you say Helga...**

**Football Head: See you in 15min. **

Helga was astounded by Arnold behavior. He really was a bold kid or so Gerald says.

**Helga: 25min...ass;)**

**Football Head: I know you like it!;)**

**Helga: Stop sending me winky faces! **

**Football Head: ;))))))))) **

Helga silently to herself as she decided to send him this specific smiley face.

**Helga: 8==========D~~~ Hellloooo**

Helga waited for a response it took about 5 minutes and she couldn't help but laugh at Arnold.

**Football Head: t(-_-t)**

Helga jumped in the shower after a 15 minutes shower and shampooing, she dressed in some grey skinnies and white tank top with a leather jacket. It was starting to get cold. With her hair in a messy bun, climbing in Arnold's sky view window she flopped down on his bed. She looked to the couch where Arnold sat un phased by a 'Helga like entrance'

"Sorry I'm late." Helga yawned like a jackass. Arnold laughed.

"No its my fault maybe we should have meet later." Arnold said looking in her turquoise eyes.

"No I wouldn't be able to sneak out again." Helga smiled, thinking just how lucky she was that Bob was out of the house, a lot lately actually. Arnold put a hand on her face and smiled at her.

"You look beautiful." Arnold said quietly. She looked down blushing hard.

"I just got out the shower." She admitted.

"Yeah but your hair is out of your face and I can see it better and its beautiful." He said leaning in closer to her.

Helga wanted to kiss him so bad but she decided not to. She jumped up from the bed and stretched a bit. She heard Arnold jump off the bed and his hands went around her waist and he pulled her up against him. He was so bold but she liked it. She tilted her head and looked up at him her hands on top of his. He smirked and kissed down her neck making her feel so tense and relaxed at the same time. He nibbled at her neck toying with her, she giggled and cringed she was ticklish at her neck. "Someone's ticklish." Arnold smirked against her neck.

"Yes." Helga said moving away from Arnold, he didn't budge he just watched her with a sad smile. She stopped smiling and looked at him. She closed the space between them. "What are you hiding from me?" She asked in a whisper. He opened his mouth to speak but turned away.

"Nothing that really has anything to do with you." He said. Helga was shocked at how cold his words sounded but just as quick as the hock came so did the mask.

"Okay." She said sitting at the bed again. He sat next to her. "What do you want so I can leave?" She asked feeling pissed that he wouldn't confide to her.

"I said I was bored, remember." He joked referring to their earlier text. Helga just shook her head, he never understood what his words did to her being.

"Well go watch tv, do your homework go read a fucking book. I don't care!" Helga spat her arms crossed. Arnold raised a eyebrow agitated with the blonde girl.

"Whoa, where is this all coming from Helga? Is it because I won't tell you what's going on with me?" Arnold questioned her some more, this question tensing her up. "News flash Helga, you made these agreements, we mess around no one gets in anyone's business. Remember?" Arnold asked quizzically.

"You're a dick Arnold." Helga said flatly. He was so uncaring and yes she made the rules but he agreed to them without hesitation and if he weren't so damn dense he would see she hadn't been interested in anyone else or anything else. _Crimney I gave him my virginity_, Helga screamed in her head.

"Yea I get that, with that last text message." Arnold being sarcastic?

"Look here Bucko!" Helga turned around facing him, her finger deep in his chest. "I don't take anyone's lip, especially from a football head like you!" She growled angrily.

"Oh really Helga, you took my dick pretty well." Arnold smirked. Helga's eyes widened and her fiery blues lost its flame. Arnold looked into her eyes and realized just what he said. "Helga...I'm so..."

"Fuck you Arnold." Helga said hatefully but you could hear the sadness, her voice dipped in hurt.

Helga looked away from Arnold. She needed to calm herself and then leave. He was so careless, he only saw her as a body. She was his sexual toy he could call on whenever he wanted. She was nothing to him and the realization sunk in even more. She knew the cautions of messing with Arnold like this but she knew him, he was a sweet boy and she thought with time he would love her but no, he didn't he couldn't. She felt Arnold's arm wrap around her, she turned around fiercely and moved away, he kept walking toward her as she walked back, this carried on until there was no more space to run back into.

Helga's back was pressed against the wall. "Helga please forgive me, I didn't mean it...it's just you get me so frustrated." Arnold said his body pressed against hers his lips on hers speaking. Helga closed her eyes unsure. "It's hell when we fight Helga, I hate fighting with you yet we always find ourselves in this predicament every time." Arnold said. He grabbed her hand and pressed it against his heart. "Helga you're right here." He said looking deep into her eyes.

Helga soon found herself crying softly. He hurt her so much with his words of retaliation. He used her trust and innocence and threw it at her. He held it against her. She knew Arnold meant he was sorry but he still had said those words which had to make them true. He had said she was in his heart, was that true? Or was it a meager statement to make her forgive him, stay with him? He had taken her attitude and crude remarks so many times before and this was minor but he still said those verbose words. She couldn't hold it against him though because that deadly thought slipped in..._If she lost Arnold_, the thought left quickly.

"Don't go away." Arnold said. Helga looked at Arnold with tears falling down her cheeks. "Close your eyes." He whispered. She looked at him unsure but she did slowly.

She waited for whatever and she felt his lips on hers soft and loving. He pressed his lips closer and Helga pressed back no longer caring he was her enemy. They kissed passionately pulling at each other's lips aggressively. He bit on her lower and she pulled the hair at the back of his neck to come closer to her. His hands went to the back of her thighs and he cupped them pulling her on him. Helga gasped at how fast things were going. Her legs were wrapped around his waist as he grinded his pelvis against hers and kissed her. She couldn't help but moan a bit, it felt so good, she pushed back kissing him even more intense. He carried her to his bed and laid her down while he was on top of her. They kissed slowly but aggressively, Helga thirsted for his lips, she wanted all of him. When they touched she felt whole. Nothing could compare to the experiences of love making with the love of your life. Though to him this was just sex. Helga determined to show him her feelings touched all over his body while Arnold squeezed at her breast.

The two were eventually topless, their upper half naked. Arnold pulled at her jeans a bit unbuttoning them and she let his hand slide in. She closed her eyes enjoying the pleasure of Arnold. She slipped her hand down his pants and he groaned a deep sound that made her stomach rise tightly. "Helga I want to make Love." He looked at her. "Let me make love to you." He said looking down at her stomach and chest and straight back at her eyes.

At that moment she didn't want to wait either the way his lips were wet from their earlier kisses and the sweat dripping off of him, his eyes looking so intense like his whole body shook from trying not to grab at her. She kissed him it was almost like desperation. The way the room grew darker from the sky light window gave it an urgency a need to hurry. He pulled off her jeans completely and underwear, his jeans off and boxers. He grabbed her legs pulling her body down on him. She closed her eyes as they made love for the first time in the boarding house, his room. Her dreams had become reality.

**Friday**

Helga watched as Arnold didn't speak to anyone at lunch. Everyone had noticed Arnold's reluctance to speak to any of them including Lila. She had a small smile on her too perfect face and decided to wrap up Stinky with another bullshit on the farm joke. Helga knew Arnold was quiet because of last night. He had made love to her. By making love he sort of admitted he loved her, right? That had been on her mind after the fact but seeing Arnold in a funk of such only made her anxious that he regretted the love making. He made it apparent that he was ignoring her, this morning was enough proof alone.

"Helga?" Helga looked up to see a concerned Phoebe looking into her turquoise eyes.

"I'm...alright Pheebs." Helga said and then stood up bringing the attention of the gang, including Arnold.

"Where yah goin' Helga?" Stinky's twangy voice said.

"A walk around the school." Helga saw Arnold stand up. "Alone." She finished. He just stared at her and she walked off with her black backpack.

Everyone proceeded to their lunches except Gerald Phoebe and Arnold. The couple stared down Arnold, Phoebe's being more harsh than Gerald's of course. Arnold stood up anyway and decided a walk alone would be good. He stood from the table, unnoticed or no one cared to say anything. It was convenient that those two always left the same time and no one questioned it. Arnold did not follow Helga, instead he walked outside along the courtyard thinking to himself about yesterdays feelings and how yesterdays feelings were so different from today. He closed his eyes and leaned against the creamed brick wall relieving in the moment.

"_Helga please forgive me, I didn't mean it...it's just you get me so frustrated." Arnold said his body pressed against hers his lips on hers speaking. Helga closed her eyes unsure. "It's hell when we fight Helga, I hate fighting with you yet we always find ourselves in this predicament every time." Arnold said. He grabbed her hand and pressed it against his heart. "Helga you're right here." He said looking deep into her eyes._

Arnold had meant that, Helga was always on his mind and deep down she was in his heart. He cared so much about her but he didn't know exactly how much and being caught up in the moment from seeing her cry, her walls breaking down because of him for him just made all logical thought disappear. He sighed reveling in the feel of her soft trembling lips last night.

"_Don't go away." Arnold said_

He looked into those beautiful turquoise eyes the flames dead but igniting again. He never saw anyone look so beautiful. It hurt to know he got her this way. The girl who was tough and couldn't be broken. He was able to break her, wasn't he? That much power was unbearable and he didn't want to think to hard on it because he knew it was the truth and the truth always has a way of remaining around when unwanted.

"_Close your eyes." He whispered._

He saw those unsure eyes look into his green and he knew the words he had said corrupted the trust he had. He said them because for once he held something over Helga and it felt good to abuse that power like she always did with him but she had never gone as far as to seriously hurt his feelings_. She never did anything to harm me physically, emotionally or mentally_, He thought. He closed his eyes again and he could picture the way her lips engulfed his and just how needy and greedy he felt when they kissed. Helga belonged to him and he would do anything to ensure that, even go as far as to lie...

"_Helga I want to make Love to you." He looked at her. "Let me make love to you." He said looking down at her stomach and chest and straight back at her eyes._

The thing about it though was...he wasn't lying. They made love and he loved it. She felt beautiful looked beautiful and she knew exactly what to do. She familiarized everything about him, she knew how to make him moan, groan and grunt. She knew what hurt him and what pleased him. She knew how he liked being kissed and touched. She did everything last night only to please him after he had insulted her innocence, trust and respect. Arnold opened his eyes and realized just how much Helga put up with him and the only explanation could be that she possibly...love him? The flashbacks started again seeing FTI, the wind blowing so harshly against their nine year old bodies. Helga's confession and the awkward kiss that she planted on him. She couldn't. "It was the heat of the moment." Arnold whispered to himself, he bell had rung and now he was off to anatomy.

He sat quietly not focusing on the lesson which would not be a disadvantage because well he was ahead of the class. So he thought about the awkward morning Helga and himself shared.

_She moved slightly groaning to herself as his alarm went off. Arnold turned it off immediately already awake for awhile now. He looked over toward Helga again like he had been doing since he woke up. She slept peacefully, her silent breathing...the inhale and exhale of her chest rising and falling delicately. She was beautiful. And that matter alone terrified him. This was Helga G. Pataki, his tormentor, his bully and in small but significant ways his savior and friend. She stirred again this time moaning and rolling her shoulders, her eyes opened dazedly and before she could land her eyes on his he shifted his body away from hers so that she would only see his exposed back. His boxers being the only clothing on him. _

_"Morning Arnold." Her voice sounded so sincere, so kind. It shocked him and he didn't want to be rude but...he needed to think. What they did last night, what he said was so different from the arrangement of what they knew it could never go back to being just like it was before. Once again he had crossed the line. Arnold could hear Gerald's voice in the distance saying 'Mmm mmm mmm' his jaw clenched and he grabbed Helga's clothes on the floor and basically threw them at her. _

_"Get dressed while I take a shower." He didn't bother looking at her because with his tone he knew he had hurt her again. "You should hurry if you want to make it to your house." Arnold added before stepping in his bathroom. He waited until he heard the skylight window open before he stepped in. It took about ten minutes before she left. He sighed to himself letting the water drain his sins away, wash away all the immoral he had become. _

"Hey Arnold." Lila droned out his thoughts. He smiled up at her. "Umm so Phoebe is having a party, I heard..." Lila trailed off.

"Yeah, I'm going being fiends with her boyfriend." Arnold chuckled quietly. Lila smiled but nervously. Arnold being the gentleman he was. "Are you going Lila..." She was about to answer when he interrupted her. "Because I need a date and well if you weren't busy or anything..." Arnold fiddled with his hands.

"Oh Arnold I would love to be your date ever so much!" She smiled excitingly.

Arnold's lopsided love sick grin formed. "Okay, I'll pick you up at 8...we could get some food at Slausens and then go to the party afterward?" Arnold suggested.

"Perfect Arnold, ever so perfect!" She cooed, her books in her hands. "See you tomorrow, Arnold." Lila blew a kiss at him and giggled madly, the bell rang for dismissal and she walked out, leaving a love sick Arnold shocked.

Arnold's shock ended all too quickly though as he saw a torn Helga G. Pataki at the door. She didn't move and neither did he. They continued to stare at each other, until he saw an all too different scowl on Helga's face. She turned on her heels and left him there to feel guiltier than before.

Helga made her way through the hallway to her locker, spinning the combination quite angrily after a frustrating try three times it unlocked. Throwing her books harshly and slamming the locker door she proceeded down the vacant hallway till she paused and heard soft singing and guitar playing. The song was very well known but the way it was sung seemed to have more soul and depth to it. She followed the sound all the way to the band room, to see a familiar grey beanie.

_Beautiful girls all over the world_

_I could be chasing but my time would be wasted_

_They got nothing on you-uuu bay-bayy_

_Nothing onnnn you-uuu bay-bayyy_

Helga watched as he strummed the guitar lovingly and sang silently with his eyes shut. He was really good. She smiled to herself, she never knew Lorenzo was so talented.

_They might say hi and I might say hey_

_But you shouldn't worry about what they say_

_Cause they got nothing on you-uuu bay-bayy_

_Nothing on you-uuu_

His eyes opened suddenly and he had a small smirk on his face as he locked eyes with her. He stood up guitar now slack against his body, the strap around him. He was in front of her now, looking down, he whispered sang the last lyrics.

_No other girls on my brain_

_And you the one to blame_

Helga caught her breath feeling totally uneasy and her heart skipped beats rapidly. She looked down to scared to make direct eye contact. He lifted her chin up and smiled softly at her. "Hey Helga." He whispered. She sucked in her bottom lip and pushed his hand away and sat on the chair he was in earlier. He stood there for a moment and laughed to his self only smirking at her.

"Sup." She said carelessly. He just watched her face agitated. "Take a picture, it'll last longer." She sneered. She watched him smirk more into her behavior. _What is he, some kind of sadist_, She thought.

"Sneaking up on me, were you." He finally spoke an all too cocky smile on his face. Helga raised an eyebrow defiantly.

"You wish bucko, I heard half way decent music and came. End of story." She stood. "Now I have affairs to get to, see you when I see you." She waved making her way out but a hand grabbed her wrist. She turned around scowl on her face to see soft onyx eyes smiling into hers.

"You have a date to Phoebe's party?" He asked. She looked away thinking about Arnold. Arnold treated her like some common whore this morning and she just witnessed him asking Lila of all people to go to Phoebe, her best friends party. It hurt so much she felt so deceived and betrayed, all she wanted was revenge. Revenge was in soft onyx eyes.

"Yea I do." Helga answered. Lorenzo looked disappointed at first but his expression changed.

"Oh, umm guess I'll see you there." He smiled letting go of her wrist.

"You're my date." Helga finished. He turned around and had a genuine smile. Helga couldn't help but laugh, it was kind of...cute. "So come over early tomorrow, you can help Gerald-o, Phoebe and I prepare the party. 7 good for you?" Before Lorenzo could answer, Helga spoke again. "Yea 7 it is." Helga walked off but paused at the door sending a wink to a stunned Lorenzo before departing.

**Pataki Residence...**

It had been awhile since the smack incident with Big Bob and Helga knew that he had felt awkward as well as her. He stayed at work more than usual now, and whenever he did come in it would be very late, around the time Helga settled herself for bed. She knew he was avoiding her and she was grateful because she had been doing the same. Today however was Big Bob's day off and she had hoped from the earlier sound of the door closing that he had left to do whatever the hell he actually does. Dressed to in a Helga G. Pataki style she smiled at her reflection, this was her. Dresses were nice, she admitted but it took a special kind of woman to pull off leggings, jeans and sweatshirt. Grabbing her book bag for today tomorrow and for Monday morning, she headed down the steps off to Phoebe's. She might run a little late but only 15 minutes or so. Lorenzo could wait. Lorenzo...his name trailed off her tongue and she shook her head confused at his developing feelings for her. When had that happened? How had that happened? Running downstairs, she nearly ran into a heavy chest. A green shirt blocking her view. She knew who it was, that signature color, that built. She met with his grey eyes and he hesitantly did the same. His eyes narrowed down and quickly turned away, she stepped to the side of him and continued to walk to the front door, her heart not beating the entirety of the time.

"Where are you going, little lady?" He asked, his voice sounded so exhausting. She froze in her tracks, and her body shuddered. They hadn't spoken for so long. It nearly hurt to hear her father speak to her. His signature nickname for her.

"Phoebe's for the weekend." She mumbled. He "hmph" and didn't say nothing more. Opening the door quietly after grabbing her keys from the small table, she headed out and shut the door taking a huge breath of air. _Why had that been so hard?_

**7:20:43...**

"Finally Pataki!"

"Oh shut it Johansson."

"Guys!"

"Calm down Pheebs."

"Yea babe, you know Helga and I are just kidding around."

"He is maybe but _I_ most definitely am not!"

"Sarcastic ass."

"I'm no donkey Gerald."

"Rrrrr!"

Lorenzo laughed to himself quietly at the behavior he was witnessing. They were all so very close, it made him feel almost jealous at the sight. They grew up together but still he was late coming into the group, so he missed the whole memo of best friends among best friends. _Arnold would fit in perfectly_, he thought to himself. He shook the thought away and tried to focus on impressing Helga. She was all his for tonight and that was absolutely appeasing to him. He smiled to himself and decided to join the conversation.

"Are you two done bickering. Phoebe does have a party to set up." He placed his hands in his black skinnies pockets.

"Shit! Sorry babe."

"Gerald language. Thank you Lorenzo." Phoebe sent him a small smile. He shrugged in response.

"So what do we have to do exactly." Helga fell back on the couch quite sloppily and Lorenzo couldn't help but crack a smile.

"Helga feet down." Phoebe gave a glare. Helga immediately set her feet down.

"Okay Pheebs, Crimeny." Phoebe sent a big smile.

"Well, we need to set up the food, cups and plates. Helga call Brainy and make sure he'll be here at 8:40 to set up his DJ assortments."

"You got it bucko." Helga giggled as Phoebe sent another glare, who in turn laughed as well. Helga's laughs were contagious.

"Gerald call Fuzzy Slippers for the drinks." He responded with a quick kiss to her cheek. The Asian blushed rose.

"Lorenzo, you have connections...right?" Phoebe asked quietly. Lorenzo laughed out loud.

"As in connections you mean, a weed man? Yes I do, though I don't condone it myself."

"Yea right rich boy. You probably get blazed after every conference meeting."

"You would know wouldn't you Helga. I'm sure you do the same after every anonymous poem sent in.'' Lorenzo smirked as Helga's eyes widen.

"You...how...urgh!" She wrapped her arms around herself and refused to look at him.

"Lorenzo my man..." Gerald placed a hand on his shoulder. "You have GOT to spend more time around here!" Lorenzo chuckled to himself. "A quiet Helga is a Helga we all love!"

"Phoebe get your boyfriend before ole Betsy does!"

"I've had enough you two!" Phoebe growled. Everyone grew silent. "It's already 8! Get to work."

That's when they really got to work. Lorenzo and Gerald moved furniture around for a bigger dance are. Cups and plates were set up and food at the bar table of Phoebe's kitchen. Brainy had come over and set his music up, testing the songs out. Lorenzo grabbed a sill angry Helga's hand and twirled her around till she couldn't stop laughing.

"Stop it. I'm gonna puke."

"Ewe wouldn't want that." He pressed her up against his chest, she looked into his onyx eyes and blushed.

"FUZZY?! What do you mean, you can't deliver us the drinks?..." Gerald was yelling through the phone. A long pause. "You're identity, covering it up? No ones after you man. This isn't Bourne Identity!" Long pause. "Fine fine...I'll get it...what's the address again?" Pause. "Just shoot me the text of the place, I'll forget." Pause. Breath. "Yay, thanks man."

Everyone looked toward Gerald.

"What's wrong Gerald." Phoebe approached her boyfriend.

"Fuzzy Slippers has the drinks but he wants us to pick it up! I walked here Phoebe, we really don't have time for this." Gerald sighed sitting on a stool chair as Phoebe massaged his shoulders.

"I could go get it." Lorenzo looked toward the couple.

"Really Lorenzo?!" Phoebe smiled.

"Hah cool moe." Gerald nodded his head.

"Just make sure my parking spot isn't taken." Lorenzo smirked.

"Haha we got you." Gerald smirked as well.

"Welp lets go pretty boy." Helga started waking toward the door.

"You're coming?" Lorenzo was surprised.

"Doi." She winked and opened the front door. "Gerald text us the address." Gerald nodded and Lorenzo followed after Helga.

**20 Minutes Later...**

"Crimeny!" Helga groaned carrying bag browns to Lorenzo's trunk. "Who knew Fuzzy Slippers really was all about the secret of his identity."

Lorenzo grinned and it turned to laughter. "What if he's one of us." He raised a eyebrow, from looking out the trunk after placing two more brown bags in there. Helga as well started to smirk.

"Any guesses?" Helga opened her door and stepped in. Lorenzo was at the other side and buckled in after starting the car and backing out the space.

"Hmm well it's a guy."

"Why is it a guy? It could be a girl." Helga countered. Lorenzo rolled his eyes.

"A guy. Maybe he's really insecure and so he came up with this alter ego, know as Fuzzy Slippers."

"So who's insecure in our group or questionable in any way?" Helga asked placing her thumb and index fingers on her chin. They both remained silent for 3 seconds...

"EUGENE!" They both blurted and laughed loudly.

"Oh my God. Hahaha! That's a good one!" Helga held her stomach laughing while Lorenzo tried to contain himself he was driving.

"Eugene of all people." More laughter. "Nagh...oh my song!" Lorenzo turned up the station.

"I love this song." Helga said softly into the dark. Lorenzo didn't look at her but he spoke.

"Yea, it's my favorite from them." He said.

"Its beautiful and simple." She said relaxing into her seat and humming the tune aloud.

Lorenzo smiled feeling the connection between the two instantly. He began to hum it too. Helga looked at him and smiled and he smirked at her. The two sang the song together in harmony.

_'How ever far away, I will always love you. How ever long I stay, I will always love you. Whatever words I say, I will always love you I will always love you.' _

The song ended and the two laughed uncontrollably. Lorenzo looked up into her turquoise eyes and smiled. "You have a nice voice." He said. She gave him a look.

"Don't lie I sound terrible. I already know." She spoke.

"Well I like it." He said confidently.

The car had been parked 5 minutes ago in front of Phoebe's. Helga sat in her seat still strangely not wanting to leave his strong presence. She looked outside the window and could see the line up of cars and she could hear the music. She looked at Lorenzo again and smiled as he smiled at her too. She unbuckled her seat belt and opened the car door. Before stepping out she looked at him and said softly "Thank you." put her soft hand on his masculine face and kissed the side of his lips gently.

When she opened her eyes and saw a puzzled look on his face she smiled and stepped out shutting his door and going up the stoop, probably to get Gerald to help with the drinks. Lorenzo sat in the car still for about 3 minutes wishing he had turned his head slightly to catch her lips in a full kiss but what she did was more than a kiss, it was gratitude and respect something he wanted to earn from her.

**Part 2**

**Its a party, its a party, Its a party, Ayeee...**

Arnold got the green Packard for the night, thanks to his grandpa Phil. Though his grandpa wasn't very enthusiastic about who his date was. Arnold sighed loudly to himself turning up the jazz station. He already knew once he stepped inside of Phoebe's house he would be flooded with pop, rap, and r&b. He had finally pulled up to Lila's place. She ran out the house placing a light jean jacket over her shoulders. She had a half white beater on, and tight green cargo pants. It was actually cute on her, her hair was wild and curly. The way she smiled at her father as she turned to his direction, her innocence, it was all stunning. He opened the car door for himself greeted Mr. Tom Sawyer, made his was to Lila's side an d open ed her door, like the gentleman he was. She blushed shyly sending him a warm smile as she sat comfortably in her seat, shutting her door and arriving on his side after buckling up he drove off.

"Excited?" Arnold asked. She smiled brightly at him though he didn't notice because his eyes were fixated on the road.

"Oh ever so Arnold. Everyone we know is going to be there." He chuckled quietly to himself. Sometimes Lila was so naive, it was easy to please her and also easy to displease her if you wanted to have fun yourself. He parked the car, and took the keys out unfastening his seat belt. After getting out he opened Lila's door, taking her hand he helped her out. She blushed pink and winked at him as she and him made their way to Phoebe's front door.

**15 minutes later...**

Arnold watched from across the room at Lila who was conversing animatedly with her friends. Some date she was. The door opened, rather loudly and there she was. She looked amazing, her style wasn't exactly girly but it made her stand out and she still looked feminine. Her blonde hair pushed to the left side of her face, showing just how thick it was. She had on a light grey sweatshirt that was rolled up midway, it had a huge dark grey skull for the print. Her nails were painted her infamous pink, she had on black leggings that shaped her legs perfectly, her feet wearing black high top converses. She had the biggest smile on her face on her face, as she entered the house with Lorenzo carrying big brown bags, probably alcohol. Lorenzo would occasionally nudge her and she nudged back with her permanent scowl, Lorenzo eyes would gleam even brighter seeing it. It heated Arnold from the inside out, the sight of them...Helga's happiness. It was weird seeing her happy without him being the one making her happy. He didn't like not having the power over her. But he was with Lila for the night, he had asked her to be his date. All he could do was just sit and wait. After the two settled the drinks with the help of Phoebe and Gerald. Lorenzo and Gerald approached the group of boys.

"Surprised you even made it Lorenzo, with your busy schedule and all." Sid smirked.

"I'm not _that_ busy."

"Man you had a laptop and a brief case at 9! Viola practice, family therapy sessions, and a freakin' stock!" Gerald threw his hands up.

"Hey I managed to direct those things 3 days a week..." Lorenzo trailed off.

Arnold just watched his every move, he came in with Helga. He wondered how he managed it. They were all very tight nit with each other in ps118. As a matter of fact Helga was the first one to speak to him and the only girl to take notice in him.

"You still have stock?" Harold looked dumbfounded.

"That I can't say tubby." Lorenzo winked at Harold. Earning laughs from the group of males.

"Tubby?!" Harold looked confused.

"So you and Helga?" Arnold asked. Lorenzo had a smirk plastered on his face. Arnold was becoming tense, he didn't like the look Lorenzo was giving him. It was almost defiant like he held one up over Arnold.

"Si mi amor, speaking of which I'm going to go entertain my date." He raised an eyebrow and walked straight to Helga, his arm looped around her waist from behind. She turned around startled ready to deck the guy but giggled when she saw Lorenzo. The two swaying to the music, she pressed her hips against him, her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Lucky son of a bitch." Sid gulped his beer. "I've been trying to get at her for how long?!"

"Sid you just want to fuck Helga." Arnold rolled his eyes agitated that Helga was with Lorenzo.

"Not true Arnold..." Critical looks. "Okay maybe a little, but I want to fuck all of the ps118 girls."

"You serious?" Stinky asked.

"Very except Patty."

"Hey!" Harold yelled.

"Just saying since she's _all_ yours buddy."

"...and Phoebe?" Gerald growled.

"...No...comment." Sid stifled laughter and Stinky busted out in laughter.

"Watch this." Gerald stood up and joined Phoebe, earning himself a dance.

The guys all stood around mumbling about not having a date and then it hit Arnold. He had one! He stood up and grabbed Lila from her friends, Sheena and Gloria, bringing her toward the dance floor. She looked baffled as she snatched her wrist away from his grasp which was rather tight.

"That was ever so rude of you Arnold." She looked quite upset and Arnold wanted to laugh but held it in.

"Sorry I just want you for myself." He winked and she blushed deeply. Wrapping an arm around her waist he pulled her close up to his chest dancing to the beat, she was a rather good dance partner, she kept up and danced up against him. Arnold looked around to see Helga too captivated by Lorenzo to take notice of him at all. That pissed him off.

After a few more failed attempts, 5 dances exactly. Arnold sighed giving up telling Lila he was going to relax, a little exhausted from the dancing. She giggled and ran off to her girlfriends. He watched Helga and Lorenzo as she teased and toyed him pulling him closely by the neck and whispering in his ear. She'd pressed her hips against his groin a little too much and at one point she bent down shaking her ass on Lorenzo earning a loud applause from the party, Arnold squeezed his cup, the contents juicing out as the cup crumpled and broke. He would take his opportunity and make sure Helga knew how he felt. Helga and Lorenzo finally stopped dry humping and she excused herself to the bathroom. He watched as Lorenzo got some punch and he followed Helga.

Helga walked up the stairs to the guest room which was her room for the weekend. In there was a private bathroom. _Thank God no ones in her fucking, Crimeny_, she thought. After a much needed bathroom break, she washed her hands and splashed some water on her face, fixing her hair a bit. She had had a great night so far with Lorenzo. He was kind and so seductive it burned all her insides. At some point she caught herself forgetting her initial plan to make Arnold jealous and just enjoyed her night. She opened the bathroom door to see his dark green slit of eyes look into her water like ones. There was so much anger in his eyes and something foreign, she'd say lust. He embraced her with a steady firm grip, his finger tips boring deep into her clothes till her flesh was being dipped inward. For a minute it felt so right.

"Lorenzo, are you with him?" he asked, his voice was dipped with hate.

"He's my date for tonight." She admitted, her voice became low, she knew it hurt him but it was revenge, he chose Lila. He grabbed her arms roughly and pushed her up against the wall of Phoebe's guest room. Her back ached from the contact. "What the fuck Football head?!" She yelled.

"I bet you thought it was cute trying to make me jealous tonight?" Arnold sneered, his eyes enflamed with rage.

"Fuck you, I wasn't trying to make you jealous." She spat

"Oh bullshit Helga. You ignored me all night, I'm not that dense!"

"Why do you care anyway, you're with _Li-la_." She said the name with disgust.

"I don't care about her!" He yelled. It just came out, like word vomit, he wasn't so sure if it was a lie. "You're mine."

For a moment those words out his mouth made her want to swoon into him tell him all of her fantasies of him only wanting her but she knew by how harsh the words came out the look of lust in his eyes said something totally different but she just couldn't figure it out. So instead she let the anger build up, she wanted to hurt him.

"Yours?" She laughed harshly. "We had an agreement Arnold, no one really belongs to anyone."

"I know that Helga." He sighed, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. "Point is for the time being..." He grabbed her by her hips pulling her up close to him. She turned her gaze from him, he was so intense. "Look at me." He grabbed her face, forcing her to look at him. "You're mine, your body belongs to me. Your staying with me the rest of the night."

Helga breathed out, she was startled by this possessive boy in front of her. It made her feel weak inside and she felt more like an object to him then a person with feelings. Something told her if she had said no, he would still win in the end. So she remained silent. Her thoughts speeding in by the second. He made her his territory, she wasn't allowed to leave his side. He would always keep her there and that realization led to a scarier one. He could easily drop her.

When Helga didn't answer quickly enough, he kissed her roughly and kept kissing her. Their tongues, brushing against each others. "You won't be with me now but I'll make you want to." He whispered as his hands slide down her back to the back of her thighs.

He lifted her up slowly and made her thighs wrap around his waist. He pulled down his pants and his finger tips touched her underwear line, stripping of her garments. Then he made love to her giving her sweet sick pleasure that made her toes curl and stomach rise and drop. She matched his grunts with her moans. Their night became intoxicated with each other.

**Yellow diamonds in the light. And we're standing side by side. **

**As your shadow crosses mine. What it takes to come alive. **

**We found love in a hopeless place. Found love in a hopeless place.**

**Shine a light through an open door. Love and life I will divide. **

**Turn away cause I need you more. Feel the heartbeat in my mind. **

**It's the way I'm feeling. I just can't deny. **

**But I've gotta let it go. We found love in a hopeless place. **

A/N: Okay that was long as shit bro! But anyway...the song Helga and Lorenzo were singing was called. **Love Song by originally The Cure but I like 311's better. Check out both versions!**

**Tell me your thoughts on the music selections!**

**Did you like this chapter? **_You better have, I slaved over the computer doing this...took days by the way!_

The next chapter is the start of a new plot. It'll be very dramatic, especially for character Arnold. Until we meet again;)

Love always, Morgan!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Last chapter was crazy! But this chapter will be pretty much all about Arnold. He is really complex. A lot of stories have inspired me to write how his personality should be...

**Story/Author Shout outs**

**Ribbons/Hair/Never/There by Heidi Patacki **(Best Arnold story I ever read)

**Cafeteria Confessions by DeepVoice'06** (Arnold actually being Helga)

**A Real Lie by Lauralogan80** (Possessiveness due to family issues)

**Twist and Shout by Bishify** (Nonchalance, realism)

**The Changes and The Changed by Twilightfucker** (Realistic, pressure, stress)

_Check these people out! They are amazing authors! Only one though responds to your reviews. lol don't take it to heart though, I'm guessing they're reserved. I truly like these authors style. It's drama filled, realistic, reminds me that not everything is daisies and rainbows. I actually connect, I appreciate you guys such much! I revised all my work and my writing thanks to you. And other authors! I will shout you out later! _

Anyway enjoy the semi long chapter!

Songs Featured: Fix Me by 10 Years & Sure Thing by Miguel Check em out:)

Disclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold or anything associated with it. I'm just one creative mofo;)

**Chapter 5**

**Fix Me**

He became apart of her again. It was so different this time. He was drunk and angry. He could only piece together certain parts of the night.

_"Helga I need you." "Baby, God you feel amazing." "Fuck don't do that to me again, I hate when you make me jealous." "You'll always be mine." "I care so much about you, it hurts." "Why do you hate me?" "You're so beautiful, you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen...even covered in mud."_

That last one had him confused. "Even covered in mud?" He said aloud to himself as he turned off his shower. Helga woke him up that Sunday morning and told him it was best for him to go home, she claimed she didn't want Phoebe and Gerald to know he was there. Arnold obliged without a word, dressing himself and slipping out of he room quietly. His stomach was stinging with sharp pain, he had consumed too much alcohol. His head felt like he had banged it one too many times on a hard surface, probably a bed post. Luckily He had condoms with him that night or him and Helga could possibly have little ones running around. The thought sickened him because he initially smiled at the thought. When he reached he bottom the stairs Gerald was sitting in the kitchen with a bowl of cereal shirtless in boxers, he winked at Arnold. Arnold was too stunned to even respond so he just exited Phoebe's home. What had exactly happened last night. He wasn't wasted so he remembered certain things but still the night couldn't be word for word explained in detail. He only could describe feelings at this point. He was possessive, jealous, angry, full of lust, and needy. It truly bothered him, his actions and feelings toward Helga. She had every right to have a good time with Lorenzo but still he didn't want her to, he wanted her to watch him have fun with Lila, to see her reaction. He wanted her to get angry and pull him off into the dark of Phoebe's guest room and beg for his attention. Arnold cringed at those dark sick thoughts, he was selfish. He knew now that these feelings weren't healthy, in the least bit.

"I treated her like shit Friday morning." He shook his head remembering exactly how he kicked her out and how she still allowed him to be with her, still give her body. It killed him this internal battle he was having about her. She didn't deserve this and he knew that.

He laid in bed a towel wrapped around his waste, he looked up to the sky, it was still morning but he didn't want to 'seize the day' he just wanted to lie in bed and die. He thought about the words he said to Helga, certain things you wouldn't say to someone you didn't love. He admitted that he liked Helga a lot but he just couldn't say he loved her. He knew nothing about her really. He tried to think of the little things he did know about Helga. She was very artistic and dabbled in anything that was a form of art. She danced, drew, wrote beautiful short stories and poems, and she could act. She was closed off but when it came to others she would stick her neck out on the line to make sure they were above alright, though her methods were quite loose, they were still initially kind based. She was a pretty humorous person, her sarcasm had the class laughing many of times. She was smart, she took practically every AP class that dealt with the right brain. She was always there when you needed her, no matter the circumstance or time. She could hang with the guys and also be the head female in charge other than Rhonda. Arnold smiled at these facts, she was indeed a strong, passionate, loyal, enticing, intelligent female. BUT... she was brash, impatient, angry, closed off, cruel and rude at times, too opinionated, and she was aloof. Those factors brought Arnold's face to one of many emotions, sadness and anger. She was so difficult, so complex. Did he really have time for that? BUT... she was innocent, that was something Arnold didn't expect from her, she was so kind and sincere at times whenever they touched. If it became fast pace it was because Arnold wanted it that way. "I tasted her." He thought back to when he felt guilty for going out with Lila and how he nearly ran to Helga's kissing her for every minute they were apart. It was so corny. He actually performed oral sex on her, he always thought if he was to ever do anything like that he would be married first. He felt like it was something sacred and every guy knew, a girl had to be pretty damn special for that. "Crap!"

Arnold immediately grabbed his phone and scrolled down his contacts and found Lila. He was about to press send but he just couldn't. What would he say to her? _Sorry for ditching you at the party to harass Helga and sleep with her but don't worry I plan to date you and only you but if I disappear you know where to find me_.

"God help me." He said aloud and set his phone back down beside him.

Taking a deep inhale, he grabbed his phone and called a friend. "Thought you'd never call." Arnold laughed to himself.

"Gerald how do you manage to pick up and just know?"

"Can't be giving away all my secrets. Anyway what do you want?"

Arnold sighed into the phone. "Can we hang out...cause if I don't get out the house now I'll be here all day."

Gerald chuckled into the phone. "Yeah, we can chill moe. But I gotta say bye to Phoebe and get showered and dressed."

"Oh no it's cool."

"What's the moves though?"

"Hmm I don't know, I'm starving. Slausens, boarding house video games?"

"You better have my Black ops ready."

"Can't we play something different. How about Madden?"

"Resident evil, that's all I'm agreeing to."

"Halo?"

"Both."

"See you in a hour, meet me at the boarding house."

"Got you moe."

"Moe?"

"It's a DMV term and not talking about you're typical let me get my permit place."

"Ohhh. Okay...moe?"

"Just stop." Gerald laughed harshly into the phone.

"Hey Gerald?"

"Hmmm."

"Fuck you." Arnold hung up laughing at the previous conversation.

Arnold jumped out of bed and decided to search for appropriate attire to wear today, he wanted to dress comfortably today so he pulled out his signature red plaid long sleeve button up cotton shirt and black low cut jeans. He combed his hair a bit and didn't bother really fixing it. Oh well, he thought. He put on his black vans and headed down the stairs to get a quick drink, he felt dehydrated thanks to all that alcohol he drank. His grandma sat alone in the kitchen, her eyes gazing out the window. "Oh good morning grandma." He greeted her. She didn't turn to his direction or notice him at all really. She just sat looking out the window.

Arnold sighed softly and felt his stomach tighten. It was getting like this more and more, ever since 8th grade when her health was going down hill. She was less responsive and didn't carry the crazy antics she had had before. He missed it now, he use to resent his so called family but now he just felt disappointed in himself. He wasn't close to his grandpa anymore, he didn't even like to engage in conversation anymore with him. His grandma he longed to talk to but she just pretended he wasn't there. The boarders were pretty much all gone. Mr. Hyunn got his own apartment and his daughter and him visit each other frequently, he knows this from the once in a few months visit. Oskar and Susie, well they divorced. When Oskar found out Susie couldn't have children he would berate her on it with every argument they had over bills. He remembered one argument in particular.

_"Oskar we are going to be evicted! I can't pay everything on my own? When will you get off your good for nothing lazy ass and help pay these bills?!"_

_"When you decide to have children that I can provide for. Oh that's right, you can't! What an excuse of a woman are you Susie?"_

_She cried and all hell broke loose, you could hear them physically fighting and Mr. Hyunn and Mr. Potts had to split them up, as they all entered the hallway. Susie had a black eye forming and her lip was busted and bloody. Oskar had scratches on his arms and face and they were blood filled. _

_"I can't have children because of YOU!" She screamed. "You stress me out and have me depressed. That's why I keep miscarrying, you bastard. I HOPE YOU DIE! I HATE YOU, I HAATTTEEE YOUUUU!" She was being held back by my grandpa. _

_"You fuckin' bitch, you'll be lucky if I take you back. heh heh." He sneered. _

_"I want you out! I'm done Oskar! I want a divorce." She was hysterically crying._

_"This is my house too Susie. I'm not going." Arnold was starting to get angry._

_"You're a bad husband Oskar! Leave Susie alone!"_

_"Shortman go to your room." Phil urged his grandson, he could see the tears in Arnold's eyes and how frantic he looked, he was 12 then. Arnold didn't budge._

_"Kokashe GET OUT!" Mr, Potts yelled pushing Oskar down the steps._

_"Yessah Susie doesanot want you hear and I don't a either!" Mr. Hyunn yelled._

_"Fine if thats how everyone feels..." Oskar grabbed his hat and jacket and went down the step, everyone followed including Susie. "I hope we can all just forget about this…Susie." His face looked pained but he only stared into hate filled eyes._

_"Bye Oskar." She said bitterly._

Arnold cringed and forced the memory to disappear. _I was tough on him._ He hated watching families part. It wasn't suppose to be like that. Marriage was a commitment that you stuck by and he fully believed in that. He was still torn and raw on the inside from parting with everyone in the boarding home. Mr. Potts married and owned his own construction company. They had new boarders but they left rather quickly, the faces were so different that Arnold decided not to get to know them to care. It would just hurt more getting close to people and them just leaving you without your consent. It all sounded to familiar. He nearly forgot about his drink but it was useless for Gerald was ringing him up. Arnold grabbed his wallet from his room and made down the steps out the door and into Gerald's car.

Arnold and Gerald grabbed a quick brunch. The two dug into their food as if they were starved animals. It was refreshing to get something in Arnold's system. The fries he scourged down disgusted Gerald, who normally was the messier eater between the two.

"Chill with that Arnold, I'm trying to eat too." Gerald laughed. Arnold looked up in surprise his cheeks stuffed with food, after a couple of chews and a final swallow. He grabbed his ketchup stained napkin and wiped his mouth.

"Sorry Gerald, just really hunger."

"I see. Anyway what's up? Why are we hanging out, we haven't really hung out in months since..." Gerald stopped and watched Arnold's reaction. "Well you know who came along."

"I know, sorry about that also...I've been busy."

"Oh I know, with two white girls." Gerald snickered. Arnold sighed loudly getting frustrated.

"Gerald-"

"My fault." He stifled his laughter. "Continue and don't bullshit any of it." Gerald narrowed his eyes.

"No bullshit." Arnold put his hands up in mock defense. Gerald waited quietly watching the blonde boys eyes divert from different emotions and then settle to full on upset hazed eyes. "I guess everything's starting to catch up to me." Arnold started, he took a deep breath.

"Basically, I...since the whole thing started between Helga and I...it felt easier between us, you know. You know how we are?" Arnold said more than asked.

"Oh I know, can't get along for more than a minute." Gerald rolled his eyes.

"Exactly! And well when we made that agreement to just keep it friendly..uh hmm well I found a relationship with her where we could get along and that we could agree on happily. I still don't understand why in the first place it continued or why I even wanted to try it but with her...I feel like I'm willing to do anything for us to be at truce and I guess I continued on with it because..." Arnold tugged at the collar of his shirt feeling quite hot.

"...uh well I liked it...a lot." Blushing red. "And because I had finally gained something over Helga." Gerald raised a eyebrow, Arnold put his hand up. "I know it's wrong Gerald but she was...she was a bitch to me." Arnold exhaled heavily. Gerald laughed.

"And you're finally admitting this? Hahaha" Gerald laughed.

"Yea, funny... Gerald I like Helga a lot but I don't think I can love her. I don't want to honestly." Arnold looked away and he could feel the ache in his chest, that was terrible what he had just said. He knew it by Gerald's silence.

"That's fucked up Arnold." Gerald said blatantly.

"I know Gerald, Christ!" Arnold slammed his fist. "I feel like a complete scumbag, worse than that. When I hang with Lila, things are safe, its fun, I know what's going to happen, I don't lose control and she certainly doesn't piss me off to no end...I need that I think. But when I'm with Lila I think about Helga and how I'm betraying her or something...Like she's my girlfriend and well frankly she's not. I'm a dick." Arnold hit his head against the counter table and didn't pick it up. He could hear Gerald sigh.

"Well it sounds like you already made your choice. Lila is a safe choice Arnold, that is true and Helga is your...hmm deadly attraction, yea. And one thing I've learned from love is that..." Arnold lifted his head up a bit to look at Gerald.

"There's no such thing as playing it safe." Arnold shook his head and stood up at the same time he scooted his chair back a little boy was bumped by it and dropped his ice cream. He immediately started to tear up. Before an employee could grab the mop, Arnold did swiftly and went back to the little kid.

"Hey hey it's alright little guy, I'll buy you some more. Huh?" The little boy wiped his eyes and smiled a bit, his mother thanking Arnold while Arnold asked if she wanted anything for herself. She obliged kindly. Unbeknownst to our Football headed hero, the manager was watching the exchange as Arnold went and ordered the kid another chocolate cone and mopped up the mess.

"Hey blonde kid." Arnold turned around to see an older man in a tucked in white collared shirt and khakis.

"Umm yes sir?" Arnold questioned.

"Need a job?" Arnold raised a eyebrow entirely confused. "Look do you or don't you?" The man folded his arms displeasingly.

"Yea...I do actually."

"Yes. Say yes...not no yea. What's up with you young street kids?" The older balding man asked no one.

"Sorry sir, yes I need a job."

"Well you've got one. You'll be a waiter since you got people skills but keep up with the good Samaritan acts and you might make manager."

"But Mr. Slausen, that's my job!" A nerdy brown haired young male whined.

"And you're lousy at it Kevin!" The balding man became red, he rubbed his temples. "Got the employees slacking off and shit. No one pays attention to you..." The whole while Kevin was complaining and Arnold was wide eyed while Gerald snickered. "Hell I'm not even listening to you! Anyway blonde guy..."

"Arnold sir."

"Yea yea Arnold, you start Saturday morning...be here at 8:30. Kevin will show you the ropes."

"Like hell." Kevin muttered snorting and fixing his tapped together glasses.

"Right Kevin."

"Why of course Mr. Slausen sir!" Kevin straightened up. Mr. Slausen nodded and walked off to the back where his office resided. While his back was turned Kevin gave Arnold dirty looks. Arnold took no notice because now he was an employed teenager.

"See you Arnie." Mr. Slausen waved. Arnold waved a smile on his face. The office door shut and the little kid and his mother came and thanked Arnold again for his kind act.

"Well well my mans employed. I can't wait till you take me on an actual date." Gerald swooned into Arnold.

"Gerald move." Arnold laughed. They headed toward the door but Kevin stood in front of them.

"You!" Kevin pointed a finger at Arnold's chest, who looked down toward it with an indifferent look. "Be here at exactly 8:30. If you don't you will most definitely not even start." Kevin smirked.

"Hey hey back off pizza topping." Gerald started.

"Gerald." Arnold warned. "I won't be Kevin, have a good night."

"Yea whatever." Muttered the annoyed nerd.

The boys got in Gerald's car and drove to the mall to pick up Gerald's check at Urban Outfitters. Gerald had worked there for nearly 6 months and he was making steady pay, they gave him more hours than the other employees and he made sure to use his discount whenever possible. Gerald was nominated for best dress this school year along with Sid and Rhonda. Arnold wasn't sure out of the two boy who would win but he most certainly knew Rhonda would win, hands down.

"That Kevin guy hates you." Gerald laughed as they exited the building.

"Thanks for the unnecessary reminder." Arnold muttered he couldn't help but be amused too. Hopefully this Kevin guy wouldn't cause him trouble.

"Video games after I hit the bank?" Gerald announced.

"Of course." Arnold threw his head back. The two goofed off all the while.

After mindless hours of video games and 3 large boxes of pizza at 11 Gerald called it quits claiming he had to hurry up home take a shower and call his wife.

"Whipped."

"I hope you're not referring to slavery whip Arnold. You know I don't play that shit." Gerald deadpanned.

"Gerald..." Arnold's mouth was ajar. "I wouldn't I swe-" Gerald doubled over in pain laughing.

"God you're easy. I was kidding." Gerald wiped a tear from his eye and exited out the blonde males room.

Arnold thought with Gerald's help they could muster down to the real problem but apparently all it did was lead him to thinking about Helga more and more. He felt like an ass for saying what he said but it was the truth. He didn't want to love Helga because of the outcome, not because she in fact was Helga. He wouldn't say that out loud though. With some sleep things would get better. Unfortunately they didn't.

**Part 2 **

**Sure Thing**

Monday morning had arrived and Arnold usually met up with Gerald, Phoebe and Helga at the girls lockers but today Arnold found it best he come later to school, two minutes before the bell later. Making a sharp turn for his classroom down the hall he fell hard onto the ground, his body had crashed into something or more like someone. His eyes were shut tight for he didn't want to see the person in front of him probably sprawled out on the ground like him. He breathed out and looked to see a blonde's hair out of her messy bun, hair covering one eye. _She looks like... _his thoughts were interrupted as she hurriedly put her hair in a messy bun again.

"Crimney! Watch where you're going?" She yelled. He frowned deeply, way to start off his morning.

"Sorry Helga." he stood up and held a hand to help her up. She glared at the hand but took it anyway. Their eyes met as he easily lifted her up. He could stare forever and that's what made him turn from her gaze. He caught her expression, it was a mixture of confusion and hurt.

"We better get to class, huh?" She tried to make small talk but the clear awkwardness wasn't helping.

"Yea." He responded vaguely and turned away walking to his class. He felt so tense but he needed to be strong, he couldn't speak to Helga right now, not until he figured things out.

Lunch had come and once again Arnold was dismissed early and there she was sitting at the lunch table, her hair out and wavy. She looked beautiful in blue but green was always her color. _Here it goes_, he thought approaching the red head. He watched as she looked up in his direction and her face actually held concern.

"Oh Arnold, are you ever okay?" Arnold's eyes scrutinized her and watched as she held only genuine concern.

"Umm yea...are you okay...Lila?" Arnold wasn't sure what game Lila was playing, he was surprised she hadn't dismissed him from her life claiming him to be 'ever so rude'

"Oh yes Arnold, why?" Her hazel eyes firing with concern. She looked cute when she made her puppy eyes face, Arnold thought.

'Concentrate Football Head!'

_Helga_, he thought.

'No idiot, its you.'

_But I'm already thinking_, he thought.

'Yea its your subconscious, doi.'

_but why do you sound like Helga_, he questioned.

'Maybe cause you're feeling guilty'

_Shut up_, He thought...(Meanwhile Lila watched as Arnold's eye twitched a bit)

No

_Go away_, he said firmly

Make me paste for brains

"Go away!" Arnold yelled.

"Arnold?" Lila gasped.

"Sorry Lila, I ugh wanted to talk about the party...I just want to make it all go away."

"Oh it's ever okay Arnold, Lorenzo explained everything!" Lila smiled. Arnold was really furious now,

"What did he say?" He gritted through his teeth.

"Oh how you weren't feeling well from the 'Special punch'" Lila whispered. "And Helga took care of you, taking you home." Lila smiled. Arnold's eye brows furrowed but then relaxed, he didn't understand why Lorenzo had done what he did, he could have ratted out both Helga and himself right then at that party but instead he protected him...maybe cause they were friends.

"I'm sorry I was...sick?" Arnold was terrible at lying but he would do his best to play into this one and besides he recently was good at it, sneaking both women.

"It's quite alright, I'm glad you're okay now." She had a beautiful smile. Arnold easily smiled with her.

"I'll take you out, Thursday. Just us, no loud music, no crazy dancing, and definitely no drinks." Arnold churned at the thought and Lila giggled.

"Okay silly." She grabbed his hand and the two sat together waiting on the others, he subconsciously or purposely removed his hand from hers when he saw Helga approach.

School was passing by quickly but each minute spent in classes was a minute Arnold was thinking about a certain blonde. He was too embarrassed about the party Saturday night at Phoebe's to even approach Helga yet alone speak to her so he did what he knew best when it came to the blonde, ignore her. It felt weird to say the least not speaking with Helga or being apart of her. They hadn't touched since the party and though Arnold missed it, he missed Helga's company more.

At lunch Arnold avoided Helga, he sat at the table still with their mutual friends and even engaged in conversation with the group. After that Monday when Arnold was clearly ignoring Helga, Helga didn't sit at the table for the rest of the week. Arnold sighed to himself in his AP anatomy physiology how did it get to this. Him and Helga should have never started what they did. They had the same friends and it truly did rupture his closest friendship with Gerald. Since Helga wasn't at lunch, Phoebe wasn't which meant Gerald wouldn't be there either and it was all his fault.

He would never drink again, cause apparently he got...quite emotional when he was drunk. He wished he could remember the rest of the night but to no avail the memory was loss due to alcohol. When did he turn out to be this kind of kid? He was the -to-guy, the moral one. He wouldn't lie though and say he didn't have demons because he sure as hell did.

Arnold had a date tonight with Lila, could he really go through with it? His mind was completely else where, their dates always brought him back to thinking about Helga...like he was betraying her. He felt sick of Helga, she consumed his thoughts, stole his attention and tortured him even when she wasn't bullying him anymore. He could honestly say he hated her at times, it disgusted him how she had everything he wished he possessed but still he couldn't help but care. He hated feelings, sometimes he just cared too much, sometimes he went with what was right too much but now he understood why he had. _Look at the mess I've gotten into with Helga,_ he thought.

The bell rung and Arnold was out of his seat, he didn't even utter a single word to Lila as he passed through the door. There she was, the girl with the golden hair. She was at her locker and briefly talked to Phoebe before Gerald popped up wrapping an arm around the Asian girl. Helga had a sad smile on her face as she watched the couple walk on and Arnold couldn't help but wonder what was on her mind. The hall was dispersing rather quickly and it seemed only a few students were left, including Helga and himself. He heard music and he saw Helga entranced by its beauty. He needed to be home though, so he left but he wanted to stop Helga, speak with her...he just didn't have the courage.

**After School...**

Music, sweet music played. One sounded live while the other a recording. She walked into the abandoned music room and could make out a figure sitting in a lone chair playing the viola...a radio on the shelf playing. She quietly opened the door and stepped in closing it behind her even quieter. She looked at the figure recognizing the gray beanie. She smiled to herself leaned against the door just becoming lost in the music. She breathed letting the melancholy music push her, but it started becoming hopeful and adventurous. It made her smile. She watched Lorenzo sit upright and tense his hands and arms flowing beautifully as each note was played. His head stiffened but swaying in rhythm. He just looked so passionate and determined. Like the instrument and him were one, like the two belonged to each other, like they were one. And it tugged at her heart. Music was a form of art and for her she appreciated all the arts. She was talented in that department. Literature, Poetry, Visual art, Dance, Music, Singing, Sculpture, theatre...it was endless and brought emotions on display. Lorenzo completely understood that.

Lorenzo played his last note abruptly, the viola still in hand including the bow. "Not bad rich boy." He turned around to see a smirking blonde leaned against the door frame. He couldn't help but smile. He liked seeing her.

"What brings you here?" He asked putting his instrument in his case. his smirk still on his face but more coolly.

"Just wanted to get some good entertainment for free. What's it to you bucko." Helga scowled. That signature scowl he loved to play into. Lorenzo stood up and had Helga pinned to the door.

"Who said it was free." He breathed into her neck. He could feel her tense under him and he knew she was all talk but the fact that she did it made him intrigued and wanting to play along.

"Your...you...your too close." She whispered. He backed away disappointed she didn't want him closer.

Helga watched as Lorenzo stood by the radio turning it down a bit. He stood so sangfroid and poised. Everything about him was nonchalant but his eyes read something underlying and it bugged her not in a irritated way but of interest. The way he smirked at her like he knew her secret or something. _If he did he'd better start digging his grave_, she thought cracking one of her knuckles.

"So how are you and Arnold?" He said calmly. Helga nearly fell but caught herself.

"What?" Helga looked to Lorenzo to see him stifle a laugh, his smirk plastered on his face. It made her want to punch him.

"Arnold and you. You and Arnold. How are you guys?" He looked into her turquoise eyes sensing her panic. She looked down and bit her lip and glared at him, hatefully.

"What's it to you?!" She hissed. He was taken aback by her attitude but he could deal with people, even her.

"It's obvious, I mean at Phoebe's party you guys disappeared. Oh by the way I had to chat up Lila, your welcome." Lorenzo shrugged. The blonde was in shock but it was quickly replaced with anger as she made her way over to him her fist clutching on the collar of his shirt.

"If you even think about blabbing..." Helga gritted her teeth and started to continue the threat when she felt herself up against the wall rather harshly.

"Your threats are terrible and over used, so just stop." Lorenzo had her against the wall, _Me Helga G. Pataki showed out_, Helga thought. "Look I'm not going to say anything but..." He looked down his arms off her and her fist letting go of his shirt. He looked into her teal eyes and Helga saw the sincerity in his onyx eyes. "Arnold's going to hurt you."

Helga could feel a mixture of emotions but the first was offense. She growled and stared him down. "It's none of your fucking business anyways. I don't get hurt and I could care less if what I'm doing is wrong. I'm Helga G. Fucking Pataki, I do as I please and if people get in the way, they get hurt." She stepped up closer to him. "Got it bucko." Her face in his teeth gritting, her face contorted angrily.

"I didn't say anything about what your doing was wrong, Helga." He simply replied. Helga's eyes widened at the realization and she felt scared at her own words. She moved from Lorenzo rather quickly grabbing her bag and heading out the door without a single glance back.

**Slausens...**

He watched as the auburn haired girl ate her ice cream delicately how all her mannerisms felt fragile and sensitive, the purity and innocence in her just exhumed all around his being and he felt at ease, well in control. His emotions were neutral and he loved the feel of it. She looked beautiful and each small movement she made he took photographs in his mind, each an excellent picture. She looked up at him sending her charming smile only to him and he felt himself smile into her. Lila was something he needed, she was easy going and understanding and understandable.

"Oh Arnold, you haven't touched your ice cream." Lila noticed, her sweet voice like honey.

"I was a little distracted." He smiled knowingly at Lila making her blush.

"You're ever so charming Arnold but it would make me feel better if you ate along with me." Lila's sparkling hazel eyes pleaded. Arnold chuckled and took a scoop. And then choking on its coldness. Lila had a fit of giggles and took a napkin handing it to a red faced Arnold.

"...sorry." He looked down.

"It's alright Arnold, it was a bit funny." Lila tried to muffle her giggles but failed miserably. Arnold smiled at the girl admiring her beauty.

"So Lila tell me what brought you here anyway? I mean I never really asked." Arnold shrugged upset by his rudeness.

"Oh it's ever alright Arnold. I moved back with my father well cause..." Lila tucked some of her red hair behind her ear and looked away. Arnold sat upright immediately sensing the tension. Placing a hand on top of hers he looked into her eyes trying to comfort her through his eye. She sent a warm smile and sighed deeply.

"Well I left in the first place because my dad wasn't stable, his business was cutting down on payment and he knew he couldn't support me by his self. Things were turning out like they did when we first moved and I knew it was hurting him. So he talked to my aunt, my mother's sister, and they agreed my best interest was to live in Pleasantville again with her." Lila smiled quietly but Arnold could see through the facade easily. Like Helga, Lila hid her true self. Lila did it through positive means thought while Helga..._why am I thinking about her now,_ Arnold thought.

Well my father finally this summer got vice president at his company and had more than enough to support him and I. So when he offered for me to move back I was happy but reluctant to say the least." Lila looked away a blush on her cheeks. She was just so adorable.

"Why Lila?" Arnold asked. Lila lifted her shoulders a bit and then relaxed.

"Well Arnold, I mean I loved living in Pleasantville and I had been there since freshmen year so saying goodbye to everyone and not graduating with my class was...well ever so hard." Lila had a closed smile. "But then I thought about all of the PS118 gang and I knew that I belonged with you guys. I mean Hillwood really is home, though it is cit like and there's less wild life, the people here are just good hearted." Lila smiled brightly. Arnold caught on to this beauty and held it with his own love sick smile. "And well..." Lila stood from her seat and sat next to Arnold scooting closer into him her eyes still on his. "I missed you..,a lot." She giggles shyly.

"You missed me?" Arnold was unsure of this declaration. Lila never took interest in him really after the whole fourth grade fiasco. It was hard to believe.

"Yes Arnold." Lila had her lips near his ear. "Ever so much." She whispered. Arnold felt himself getting uncomfortable. Lila was flirting with him and he didn't initiate it. He looked at the girl as her eyes narrowed down dangerously slow and her body warmth coming closer, specifically toward his face. He breathed out and before placing his mouth on hers he whispered.

"I missed you too Lila."

Arnold found himself at the pier with Lila laying on his shoulder, his arm around her waist pulling her into him. She was warm already but he wanted to be extra sure for her security. She sighed lovingly.

"This is the best date I've ever been on Arnold." Lila hummed against his chest. He chuckled a bit.

"What about the other 3 dates?" He asked.

"Oh I loved them too but this one was ever so intimate." Her finger tips trailing up his chest and down slowly. He bit his lip holding onto the groan that wanted to escape.

Arnold looked out into the water, it was sunset and the stars started appearing slowly after. He really liked Lila, a lot. She was humble, sweet, innocent, playful at times and compassionate. It was everything he could ever want and need in a possible girlfriend. But the nagging sensation of guilt kept building up. He was still with Helga sort of, the relationship would have been a little easier to break earlier in the year but they had been sexually active now. He gave his first to Helga. He knew he didn't regret it but the way they went about it was somehow wrong. The action and the actions afterward all heat of the moment. _I was in control though that first time_, he thought. Helga was beautiful, she felt amazing and when they kissed, he had to admit Helga was a better kisser than Lila but still Lila was open with him. _But Helga trusted you with her body_, the thought slipped. Arnold shut his eyes trying to get Helga from his thoughts but it didn't work.

"You alright Arnold?" Lila asked concern in her tone. He looked down at her hazel eyes. He smiled knowing what he'd have to do.

"I'll be fine Lila. I promise." He held her tighter as his eyes shut till the point where it hurt. "Lets get you home." He whispered into her sweet apple scent hair. He felt her nod. He stood and offered both his hands to her for her to stand.

The walk back was silent, Lila took it as content mutual feeling, Arnold his opportunity to think. He needed to make a decision quick and he knew that whatever it was needed to follow rationalism and his morals. Which lately for nearly months its been anything but rational and moral. He knew the precautions of his actions would hurt everyone around him but it would set things right and well feelings wouldn't be that hurt, would they? They had reached Lila's stoop. She turned around to face Arnold a small smile on her face.

"I had fun tonight Arnold." She looked down at her feet shyly. Arnold lifted her chin up with his thumb and index finger. He looked into her eyes as he slowly closed them enclosing the space between them with body heat. His mouth landed on hers in a soft kiss and she pushed her soft lips harder upon his forcing the kiss to deepened and that he did. The tip of his tongue traced the edges of her lips and she parted her mouth for him to violate the inside of her mouth. With her permission he invaded her mouth with his tongue finding hers and playing with it. Their heads tilted one way to the other. Arnold could hear Lila moan into the kiss, her fragile body becoming weak under him. He smirked in between the kiss loving the control and power that came with it. He slowly pulled back watching as her eyes slowly opened and her lips a bit swollen. She was dazed and had a sheepish smile, Arnold liked how it felt watching and not feeling it for himself. _Emotions were a hard thing to deal with,_ he admitted. He took her hand in his and kissed the back of it softly lingering his bottom lips a bit against the smooth small hand.

"Goodnight." He breathed looking into her eyes as her hand was to her side again. Her lips quivered and she just nodded and entered her house but looking through the crack she said dreamily.

"Night Arnold."

Arnold stepped off Lila's stoop after watching the door slowly close, the smile he placed n his face instantly disappeared. He closed his eyes and resented them letting a sigh escape. The chilly smoke coming out from his breath. With his hands in his pocket and a quick step in the right direction he found himself walking to a place he needed to be. He knew what he had to say would ruin everything but it was best for everyone. Each step weighing down his initial idea, each step telling him to turn the other way but he forced himself to do what was best. Arnold could feel himself tensing his eyes trying to hold back, he knew what this meant. He should have never started but with her it was always a surprise. He had to build up his strength go with his morals, be Arnold. With these final thoughts his stopped in his tracks, heart pounding as he looked up to her familiar door. Pulling out his phone and scrolling down his contacts he clicked her name. Ring ring...

"Hello?"

"Come outside Helga." Arnold knew things would begin here and end here.

**Its taken a lifetime to lose my way. A lifetime of yesterdays.**

**All the wasted time on my hands turns to sand. And fades in the wind.**

**Crossing lines, small crimes. Taking back what is mine.**

**I'm fine in the fire. I feed on the friction**

**I'm right where I should be. Don't try and fix me.**

**So lost for so long to find my way. I failed to follow I'm out of place.**

A/N: A cliffhanger. We see a lot of Lila and Lorenzo this time around. Remember Arnold is a troubled young man. He seems to have the answers for everyone but himself because his lack of emotional confrontation. Arnold is quite passive with emotions. I always thought it was Helga but the fact that Helga uses anger which is a very strong emotion says otherwise. The two are an emotional mess but cha you live to learn and they will! Trust!

Review Please!

Tell me reviewers what you think?

Music? The story? Characters? Dialogue? Scenes?...lol

But my back is aching and I'm writing other HA stories at the moment. So after this one I'll upload 'em for you guys:) **[Super old but yes I have like 6 other chapter stories, I'll eventually post. Check ALL my stories out]** And if you haven't checked out my story Lights, go do so...it's quite good, well I think. he he

Love always, Morgan!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: This chapter...Here are stories/authors who inspired Helga a bit. **[I still owe a lot of shoutouts, remember I wrote this in the summer]**

**Story/Author Shououts**

**Stalling by Heidi Patacki**

**Pataki Secrets by LauraLogan80**

**Twist and Shout bt Bishify**

**Lets be Friends by StarvingWriterMaeve**

**A way to live by One Fine Wire**

Song(s) Featured: Back To Black by Amy WineHouse & Letters From The Sky by Civil Twilight Check em out!

Disclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold or anything associated with it. I'm just one creative mofo;)

**Chapter 6**

**Letters From The Sky**

There she laid in Phoebe's guest room bed. Her eyes wearied and body aching from the rather rough night Arnold endured on her. He was beside her naked his hair tousled and all over the place. For some odd reason she was pissed at him. She knew why secretly. Everything that had happened last night would be forgotten by him and left as a secret memory for her. He had expressed so much to her and that fact scared her shitless.

She couldn't deny it anymore, she wouldn't. Arnold harbored feelings for her. It was only a matter of if he would state them drunk, sober or high off of nostalgic sex. And those factors are what made Helga G. Pataki tear up now sitting up to avoid the leakage. She took a big huff of air and forced the tears to stay inside, she wouldn't cry over him. _Fuck him,_ she thought.

Her mind went back to how this all started in the first place. He had followed her when she went to use the bathroom...

"_Lorenzo, are you with him?" he asked, his voice was dipped with hate. _

"_He's my date for tonight." She admitted, her voice became low, she knew it hurt him but it was revenge, he chose Lila. He grabbed her arms roughly and pushed her up against the wall of Phoebe's guest room. Her back ached from the contact. "What the fuck Football head?!" She yelled. _

"_I bet you thought it was cute trying to make me jealous tonight?" Arnold sneered, his eyes enflamed with rage. _

_"Fuck you, I wasn't trying to make you jealous." She spat_

_"Oh bullshit Helga. You ignored me all night, I'm not that dense!" _

_"Why do you care anyway, you're with Li-la." She said the name with disgust. _

_"I don't care about her!" He yelled. "You're mine."_

_For a moment those words out his mouth made her want to swoon into him tell him all of her fantasies of him only wanting her but she knew by how harsh the words came out the look of lust in his eyes said something totally different but she just couldn't figure it out. So instead she let the anger build up, she wanted to hurt him._

_"Yours?" She laughed harshly. "We had an agreement Arnold, no one really belongs to anyone."_

_"I know that Helga." He sighed, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. "Point is for the time being..." He grabbed her by her hips pulling her up close to him. She turned her gaze from him, he was so intense. "Look at me." He grabbed her face, forcing her to look at him. "You're mine, your body belongs to me. Your staying with me the rest of the night." _

_Helga breathed out, she was startled by this possessive boy in front of her. It made her feel weak inside and she felt more like an object to him then a person with feelings. Something told her if she had said no, he would still win in the end. So she remained silent. Her thoughts speeding in by the second. He made her his territory, she wasn't allowed to leave his side. He would always keep her there and that realization led to a scarier one. He could easily drop her._

_When Helga didn't answer quickly enough, he kissed her roughly and kept kissing her. Their tongues, brushing against each others. "You won't be with me now but I'll make you want to." He whispered as his hands slide down her back to the back of her thighs. _

_He lifted her up slowly and made her thighs wrap around his waist. He pulled down his pants and his finger tips touched her underwear line, stripping of her garments. Then he made love to her giving her sweet sick pleasure that made her toes curl and stomach rise and drop. She matched his grunts with her moans. Their night became intoxicated with each other._

She reopened her eyes and bit her lip trying to fight back the moan she wanted to let escape. She had to admit, Arnold was good that even fantasying about him had her turned on.

_With each thrust he placed upon her pelvis she wanted to burst. It was painful and oh so satisfying. Her stomach rose so much and her back arching into him trying to get a better feel of him being inside her maturity. He wasn't much of a talker in bed but tonight he surprised her. _

_**THRUST.**__ "Helga I need you." She moaned into his open lips as he continued to punish her. _She wanted to believe him so badly, so she pretended he was being honest. She knew though he didn't need her, it was the sex talking. She was just another female who could satisfy him.

_**PULSE.**__ "Baby, God you feel amazing." His fingers dipped into her tiny flesh, her wetness surrounding him, engulfing him whole. _Her finger tips bored into her flesh under the covers, her fingers tracing her thighs. He had felt amazing too,

_**POUND.**__ "Fuck don't do that to me again, I hate when you make me jealous." Each thrust was more aggressive than the last, he wanted to hurt her. He placed one of his fingers inside her while he pounded stretching her even more. _He was jealous, he admitted that to her. But did you need strong feelings to be jealous, well feelings of love? He could have just been jealous because he saw her as his trophy, his play thing.

_**THROB. **__"You'll always be mine." He bit into her shoulder to suppress the groan, her hands pulling at his hair roughly. _He had no shame in abusing her body and manipulating it in any way he wanted. She allowed him to, it felt too good to let go.

_**CREEK. **__"I care so much about you, it hurts." She had flipped him over and rounded her hips against him after the short break of sex. _If he only knew how much it hurt her, loving him and allowing herself to be degraded by this agreement they had.

_**BOUNCE.**__ "Why do you hate me?" She harshly put all her energy onto bouncing on him, his member throbbing inside her so she rounded more to prevent a fast ending. _She only hated him because she loved him.

_**SILENCE.**__ "You're so beautiful, you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen...even covered in mud." She was lying on her back, his head between her breast as if he wanted to cave into her chest. He clung on to her whispering sweet nothings, her reward for the amazing sex, she assumed. And then he had said THAT. _She shivered at the idea, he had remembered that day. She cried onto the top of his hair, he hadn't noticed because he slept. She was beautiful to him and obviously important if he even was referring to that day. He could have been talking about the day they beat the fifth graders in football or when they had first met Lorenzo and hung around. And so many countless other memories all filled with his presence all of importance all things that saved her miserable existence. How could he not see she was madly in love with him?! So she cried while he wrapped himself around her begging her to comfort him while she was the one in dire need of comfort.

Helga looked at the clock, it was a little over 8am and she knew Phoebe would be up soon including Not-so-tall-hairboy. She woke him, he looked at her a little confused as to where he was but he realized seeing her face. "You need to go before Phoebe and Gerald realize you're here." She watched his eyes drop but he quickly recovered standing tall in all his naked glory and dress rather quickly and messy might we add. He nodded and without a bid of farewell he left.

Helga decided to sleep in a bit longer but found that futile. So she laid there for God knows how long and slid into a depressed state filled with Arnold. She felt pathetic but it was expected, to deny feelings was inhumane. She heard a small knock and knew who it was. The door opened and the weight of the bed shifted a bit but not by much. "Helga, sit up now." The meek voice was firm.

Without a word the blonde sat up, her hair wild around her shoulders and back. She looked to see a showered Phoebe in nothing but a light blue towel, her hair damp and bit past her shoulders, her eye void of glasses, the color deep and dark like ravens. "You and Gerald-o had fun in the shower." Helga tried to joke. Phoebe's cheeks noticeably blushed pink but she quickly regained herself and stared hard at Helga.

"Get showered and dressed. We're going to get our nails done and grab some lunch."

"Sounds simple enough." Helga stated beginning to stand up in only a pink bra and red panties.

"And we will talk." Phoebe narrowed her eyes getting up and leaving Helga in the guest room alone.

The shower felt relaxing the hot water washing away the filth of last night. She wrapped a towel around herself, blow dried her hair, dressed quickly in a sage green long sleeve shirt and dark skinnies with chocolate uggs at her feet. She didn't particularly care for uggs but she had to admit they were comfortable and the weather was becoming colder, Halloween would be here soon. Helga headed down the steps to see her Asian friend in a red hoodie and a light pair of skinnies with some ankle snow boots. "Ready Pheebs?" Helga spoke.

"Ready!" The girls headed out the door toward Helga's car, it was a simple silver Camry. A beginners car. She would eventually sell it off to buy her dream car, a '68 mustang. The thought made the blonde female smile. The car ride had been silent. The manicures as well were silent. It was lunch that had been the real dousy.

Phoebe was sitting across from Helga in a booth. The two girls decided on a small American bistro to eat from. The Asians eyes had been irritating her for she wore contact today. She watched as Helga pushed her fork into her ketchup, truthfully it bothered Phoebe. Phoebe wasn't one for Helga's eating habits which were truly guy like but today Helga didn't really eat. Phoebe had a pretty clear idea why.

"Where did you run off to last night?" She wanted to start the conversation on an inconspicuous note.

The startled blonde looked up, her fork fell to her plate and bounced on the ground after making a loud clink and a final thud. Quickly looking back at Phoebe and the ground, she retrieved the fork and set it aside. She wiped her sweaty palms on her pants and smiled sheepishly up toward her friend.

"Oh sorry Pheebs. Ugh what were you ugh...saying?" Helga had heard perfectly well what Phoebe asked and the half Asian knew that.

"Where did you go? Lorenzo asked about you." Phoebe carefully said not showing an ounce of emotion.

Helga sighed loudly to herself and then with a quick thought of Lorenzo she cursed under her breath. She had just left Lorenzo, she'd have to apologize some way. Pataki's never apologized though, so maybe she would do something nice for the kid. He didn't deserve any of this.

"Phoebe you already know what happened." Helga looked down at her forgotten blt. Phoebe looked at her friend and felt bad.

"Tell me what happened?" Phoebe pleaded her voice exhausted. Phoebe had to beg for Helga's secrets, her feelings it was straining really.

With a deep breath inward and a exhale, Helga spoke. "I don't know what happened Phoebe. One minute Arnold and I are in a agreement that we fool around, and that was nice, fun actually. Then _Lila_ showed up." Helga's face darkened. "Of course whenever something goes right for me something worse comes along. It wasn't fun anymore...it became more emotional, on Arnold's end especially. We had sex. I..." Helga paused for a long time and Phoebe watched as her face tightened and water started building up in her eyes. "Phoebe I've always wanted to be close to him in that light and when it actually happened..." Helga broke out in a sob and Phoebe's eyes started to water understanding what Helga was saying. The smaller girl handed Helga a napkin. Helga took it with a small nod before wiping her eyes. "I just knew it was all wrong, he didn't love me. We weren't making love, it was just sex...to him I'm just sex...But then there are times when he says certain things or does certain actions that question that nagging theory." Helga started to laugh. Phoebe raised a eyebrow. "He asked me once if he could make love to me. It was the most compassionate thing I have ever heard that football head say to me." Helga broke out in a big grin. Phoebe tried to stifle her laughter but soon Helga joined in and the two laughed.

"Helga if he asked to make love to you then he must love you."

"If he really loved me, wouldn't' we be something more than secret lovers. If he loved me he wouldn't allow me to degrade myself this way Pheebs. You know Arnold, he's a do-gooder." Phoebe nodded her head, Helga was right in a sense but the other part of Phoebe a stronger part believed Arnold loved Helga but he was holding back for some idiotic reason.

"And you know Pheebs he was jealous last night. I went to the bathroom came out and there he was enraged and he asked me if I was with Lorenzo, we argued and he told me he didn't care about Lila that I was his." Phoebe really paid attention. Her elbows on the table leaning in more out of fascination. Arnold was possessive over Helga and she smiled at every detail Helga gave.

"Helga it is quite clear Arnold is harboring deep feelings for you. I would even go as far to say those feelings are very strong, possibly even love or deep infatuation."

"Fat chance sister." Helga sipped at her chocolate milkshake, obviously feeling a bit better.

"Helga how so? Because you're Helga G. Pataki?! Is it that hard for someone to love you to actually want you?!" Phoebe was getting irritated at this point with Helga's refusal to see herself.

"Yes Phoebe it actually is hard for me to believe that. I mean crimeny my own fucking parents don't even want me!" Helga stood up, her hands above her head shouting.

Phoebe joined her and pointed a finger at the blonde. "Your parents are the flawed ones, you know it. Fuck everyone knows it Helga. Stop thinking the world is against you and stop being afraid. For once in your life back up your reputation as Helga the fearless. You are loveable Dammit!" Phoebe slammed her fist on the table. Helga's eyes widened and she caught sight of the other customers looking at them including employees that worked there.

"Phoebe."

"What Helga?!" Phoebe was livid. Helga nodded her head around. Phoebe looked around and saw an audience, her eyes widen and she blushed a deep red slowly sitting back in her seat.

"Shows over chuckleheads, pipe down!" Helga shouted as she took her seat after everyone softly whispered and looked away.

The two girls said nothing. Phoebe had begun eating again and Helga joined her as well. Both were thinking of course though. Finally after a good 20 minutes one of them decided to speak.

"Helga for years I have watched you wallow down into unrequited love. You have lost yourself, it is almost as if your spirit is gone." The Asian looked away hurt by her own words. "I love you, you are my sister and I know you. For someone who knows love so well you refuse to experience it fully. You are afraid and it baffles me that you are actually afraid. The rough and tough Helga G. Pataki is afraid. You haven't even given it a chance."

"I promise you this Helga, if you don't say anything now because I'm afraid that Arnold and you have gone passed what deemed agreeable in your relations, that you two will become nothing. You will lose Arnold regardless. It is better to know then to have wondered. And if he doesn't or can't replicate your feelings, you are allowed to finally be free and if he does feel the same you are allowed to be free. But by keeping silent you are restricting yourself from love and that's like not living at all."

**School...**

He made it painfully obvious that he was ignoring her. They had literally crashed into each other turning for their classes. She had tried to spark conversation any conversation but he had made it a point that there would be none. Lunch had arrived and she could see Arnold and Lila holding hands but when Arnold's eye caught on to hers he quickly moved his hand from Lila. They sat directly across each other so while their group joked around they were avoiding eye contact, well Arnold was. Helga made it a point to purposely stare at him hoping to get any confirmation from him that he was thinking about her that everything was okay. It wasn't.

Phoebe and Gerald had decided to walk Helga to class. It was silent between the three. Gerald had spoken up. "We can go out to lunch tomorrow, cool Pataki?"

Helga had looked up to the handsome black male who was looking straight ahead as if his words weren't significant or affectionate to her problems. She watched as Phoebe roped her thin arm around Gerald's waist. They looked right for each other. It made Helga happy for her friend but sad that fate hadn't given her this. That's all she ever wanted.

"Cool Johansson." Helga nonchalantly said a small smile appearing. Gerald gave a side grin and they continued on with their day.

The rest of the week Phoebe, Gerald and Helga had ate lunch out. Helga had felt bad that she dragged along Gerald and Phoebe. She knew they only did his because of the awkward behavior displayed upon their best friends. It meant the world to her though that they were there for her. She had hoped by the end of he week things would go back to normal but as Thursday rolled by she knew it wouldn't that a deep rift happened between her and Arnold. Things would change.

After school had come and she waited at her locker for Phoebe. The small Asian appeared smiling brightly. She seemed to be in a good mood. _Lucky bitch_, Helga joked.

"Helga isn't it wonderful we won't be having school tomorrow?"

"I thought you were all about the books Pheebs." A smirk rose.

"That I am Helga but still it is nice to have a small break."

"Now that's my girl." Gerald had popped up wrapping an arm around the Asian girl while she giggled. "Hey Pataki we gotta go."

"Oh bye Helga. Call me!" Phoebe smiled.

"Have fun crazy cats." Helga watched them walk ahead, she envied their love but at he same time was rooting for them to last. A lot of things didn't last in this world or even start for that matter.

**Pataki Residence...**

Helga reflected back at the moment between her and Lorenzo, once Phoebe and Gerald left. _"Arnold's going to hurt you." _His words kept replaying in her mind. She didn't even apologize to him about her actions at the party. She had ditched him to have wild drunk sex with Arnold while Lorenzo covered for them to Lila. It was just a frustrating week entirely. Maybe no school would help.

Sitting quietly in her room writing in one of her pink books, well trying. She was losing her inspiration. It seemed the closer she was to Arnold and then to not be close to him left her blank. There was nothing there. Just no will to write. She had thought about it over and over again what Phoebe had told her Sunday. She came to the conclusion that it was best she told Arnold, at this point neither of them could keep his agreement up. They would have to establish themselves and as terrifying as the result could be she still wanted to try. He had hinted so many times accidentally that he might have feelings for her. It was possible that he could love her or at least want to try to work things out in a better manner than what they had first agreed on. She had to be strong.

_"Let me give my love to you. Let me take your hand. And as we walk in the dimming light. Darling understand...that everything, everything ends."_

"Hello?"

"Come outside Helga." His voice was firm, there was no pause or waiting as he spoke.

Helga looked to the screen to see he already hung up. Her insides twisted up, chills ran through her and her forehead began to sweat. It was now or never. With a new confidence she threw her pink book down on her bed jolted up, slipping a pink hoodie on that sat at her desk chair and slipped on her brown uggs over her yoga pants. Nearly running down the steps and standing in front of the door she took a shaky breath and promised herself she wouldn't blow it, she would tell him her undying love for him and be strong and hope no pray for the best. Her hand touched the door knob and with a quick switch to unlocking the door she opened it to see a blonde male under the street light facing the street as opposed to her door.

His hands were in his pockets shaking, his shoulders tense, he seemed to be looking out toward the street but focused on something entirely different. Had he not heard the door close? He refused to turn around. It was Helga who walked up to him slowly placing a hand on his shoulder. He stiffened from her touch but slowly relaxed. She watched as he shook his head and moved from her entirely, still not facing her.

"Arnold what's-"

"We can't do this anymore." He spoke but he knew it came out like a whisper. _Why was this so hard?_

"Arnold what?" He could hear her concern and it only made the pit in his stomach deepen, his teeth grinding together. Could he do this?

"I...I can't do this anymore Helga." He spoke clearer. He knew she got the message because of the silence.

Helga's body froze. Her heart momentarily stopped, her body physically reacted to his words first before anything else did. It hurt. She finally gasped loudly as if she was punched hard in the stomach. Her breaths came out shallow and coarse.

"Whyy?" Her voice was shaky, she sounded so unstable but it only gave Arnold more strength to speak.

"Because its wrong. What we're doing isn't the right thing to do." Helga's fist balled at her side and she just trembled in her spot. It was 50 degrees but with this built up rage she had felt like it was 100.

"Tell the truth Arnold." Her voice was bitter now. Devoid of any emotion and that scared him.

"I am Helga...we shouldn't be doing the things were doing because were not together." He trailed off.

"STOP FUCKING BULLSHITTING ME! Tell me the TRUTH!" She was yelling at him now.

"I already told you..."

"LOOK ME IN THE EYES!" She screamed. He didn't move. "Look me in the eyes like a MAN and tell me the TRUTH!" She pushed his shoulder now, harshly. He felt it shake his entire being, he slowly turned around and faced her, her eyes in slants, her face stern and tight. she looked so much older but he could see the water in her turquoise eyes. She looked broken and that was killing him.

"Helga..." He began. She knew the truth, she didn't want any lame excuse of morals.

"Tell me the fucking truth. You had no problem before fucking me. What made you say fuck Helga I don't need her. WHAT?!" She watched as his eyes widened at her unexpected words.

"I-I just can't." He was losing his grip, his hands becoming sweaty, so he took them out of his pockets only to reveal shaking.

"You fucking dick, you're shaking like a leaf. Tell me why you don't want me? Why Arnold?" He didn't speak he only took her abuse because he deserved it. "It doesn't even matter. I already know why." She sneered.

He lashed out at her. "Since you fucking know everything, why then Helga?!" Couldn't she see he was hurting too?

"More like _who_. Li-la fucking-Sawyer."

It was silent and that proved her point. Something inside Helga just snapped or did she break, Either way she fully hated Arnold more than ever now.

"It is Lila, isn't it?" Helga looked up at the stars, each one a saddened song. She felt betrayed, the pieces started to add up, all of them.

"You fucked around with me while you dated little miss perfect." She took his silence as him agreeing. "Bet that fucked with your little do-gooder mind huh?" She stepped closer to him watching his face become grim and paler.

"I bet when you were with her you thought about me. Waiting to fuck your brains out because little miss perfect wouldn't for you. Am I close here Football head?" She watched as his eyes widened and he stood there unmoving, so she pressed on. She wanted to make him angry. She needed him to feel.

"I bet every time you kissed her, you thought about my lips and how I tasted." She brought her lips around his face roughly grazing the side of his jaw line. "Or did you think about her every time we were together? I bet she'd make a good little whore for you Arnold. I know I did when it lasted." She harshly whispered.

That had done it, He roughly grabbed her shoulders, glaring at Helga hatefully. The blonde female pushed him off roughly, he grabbed a hold of her wrist and with her other hand she slapped him sending his head to the opposite side. They both instantly froze. Helga had never hit Arnold but here they were at the point where violence became unspoken words.

Arnold held his throbbing cheek still not facing Helga. He was pissed off, he had taken her abuse so many times but for her to hit him? It was more of a emotional pain than anything else. He looked at her finally to see some leakage spill over from her eyes. How could he have gotten them to this point? When had things gone so bad, so upside down for them to break out of their normal personas.

"I hate you Arnold." She finally spoke, her voice cracking. "I hate you so much. I should have never agreed to this. I should have never have let it go as far as sex." She looked incredulous at the sky as if blaming the moon. "Don't you ever cross paths with me again. I hate you more than my miserable existence." She began to back away from him, her feet going up her stoop stairs, till her back hit the front door. All he could do was watch her. "Fuck you and that bitch Lila." She opened the door and slammed it HARD.

She ran straight toward her room and slammed her door shut. She screamed out in pain and frustration her back sliding down till her weight was distributated on the floor. She sobbed uncontrollably banging her cold fist upon the ground. He left her for Lila, she was second, she wasn't good enough, she was nothing. How could she expect him to love her? Why would she expect him to stay with her?

She was going to tell him she loved him but fate beat her to the punch. He would be with Lila make it official and she would be a social leper from their group because she wouldn't be able to stand being around them. This is how it would be. She texted Phoebe. **'It's over. He ended things with me.'**

**Pheebs: Oh my God. What?! I don't understand, why?**

**Helga: He chose Lila. I don't mean anything to him I never did.**

**Pheebs: That's not true Helga. You are a beautiful and amazing girl. He is a fucking idiot if he doesn't see that. **

Lies, it was all lies. If she were so amazing why was she always someone's second option?

**Pheebs: Helga call me. Talk to me?**

**Pheebs: Helga please just know I love you and that I support you always.**

Before she could even reply she could hear the slam of the front door. Big Bob was home. "Where were you B?" Her mothers voice ringing out in a slur.

"Work. Where the fuck else would I be?" His sarcastic toile had did a number.

"Well ugh I don't know B, fucking another whore." She screamed at him. Helga shut her eyes tight and prepared to hear Bob's wrath.

"You fucking useless bitch. I work 24 fucking 7 while all you do is drink yourself to oblivion. You're a sorry ass wife and a worse mother." Helga breathed out she began to shake hoping things wouldn't come to violence. It never did but the screaming got worse, the arguments doing way more than they usually did to her.

"Don't you dare talk to me about my parenting. Helga can't even stand being around you anymore. And Olga? where is she at B. She hasn't called in years since she got out this hell whole, I wish I fucking did."

"Bitch be grateful for what you have or I'll kick your sorry keister out."

"Kick me out? Hah fuck you Bob, you need me. We wouldn't want to make the King look bad to his subjects." Her mothers voice stung dipped in verbose sarcasm. Why didn't they just divorce, leave and that was the answer. Mirium had no means to take care of herself and Bob needed the family man image to obtain his stability.

"Get the fuck out my sight." He huffed angrily.

"Oh I will." Helga could hear the blender. Her mother would drink tonight and sleep behind the couch while Bob took the master bedroom.

The tears poured out heavier than before. Her whole body trembled in anger. She had to stand up, she began to pace hastily but it wasn't working the pain wouldn't go away the thoughts deepening. She started thrusting her fist at her pillows but the impact wasn't enough. She loudly sobbed, her voice strained from the previous crying. She groaned in frustration and exhaustion.

Then there it was her escape. Her eyes set to her bathroom door. Without hesitation she entered, the fluorescent light peering at her. She turned on the water it had to be hot, she needed to drain her emotional pain into something physical. That she could handle. Slipping out of her clothes she placed a foot into the water cursing under her breath at how it scorched her skin. She ignored the burning sensation and slipped in entirely watching as her skin went from a milky pale to irritated pink. She felt flustered and heated but still as she held her knees up closer to her chest it wasn't enough. She could hear Mirium and Bob go at it again. She sighed loudly as more tears rolled down her eyes she has never cried this much, its as if she were a new born child.

The razor sat at the edge. It could be so much easier. Everything would disappear. She had it in her hand, gently cradling it as if it were fragile. This way she would have no more surprises, no unexpected turns in life. No more disappointment, no more being second, no more regret. It could all disappear, she wouldn't feel anymore. Why was she thinking this? She threw the razor watched it clash at the tub wall and fall into the water. She cried again cursing Arnold and then herself for feeling like she had to rely on him for happiness. she never felt so weak, so empty. It burned worse than the water. Love burned.

**Later...**

Her alarm went off. Her hand lazily crashed down on it. 7am on a Friday. There would be no school today. There would be no Arnold. She clenched the pillow willing herself not to cry but it didn't work. He had broke her. She had slept. Awoken. Slept. Awoken. Slept and finally stayed awake. She had a few missed calls and texts mostly from Phoebe. No one else really cared for her. She didn't have really close friends.

Arnold, there his name was again floating in the abyss of her mind. He was her air, her will, her lust and her reason. Her pink book had laid on the floor, she picked it up along with the purple pen that carelessly lay beside it. And she wrote, paused, thought, scribbled and wiped her eyes. But it was finished. She had written a few things. A short poem and a letter directed to Arnold. She questioned if she would give him the letter someday but decided against it. Not now she didn't have the will to face him.

She began to read the poem she had just written out loud but her throat ached and her voice cracked. She hadn't had anything to drink or eat all day. She read it aloud anyway.

_[I feel nothing everything is hollow inside_

_The brave face I put on everyday I'll hide]_

_I'll hold all my feelings inside _

_so that you wont see me cry_

_This infatuation is my pain_

_Unrequited and alone my middle and last name_

_Forever in my thoughts you are_

_I wear you as my scars_

**Part 2**

**Back To Black**

After the incident Arnold had chose not to walk home, instead he sat on a bench at Tina park and dare he say it ever to anyone, Gerald for even that matter. He cried, not full on blown cried but a few tears ran down his face. He had never seen Helga so angry, at him. She had said she hated him and that killed him inside. Something about her threat was more truthful more forceful than the countless others. She truly never wanted to see him again.

Would he be able to not have Helga in his life? _What the hell did I expect, for us to sing by a fire after I ended things with her_, He thought bitterly. He hoped for the best with Helga that they could leave on good terms but once again Helga had surprised him. He just wished he didn't get Lila caught up in Helga's rage. He could only imagine the toll it would put on their friends at school. What it would do to his friendship with Gerald. Helga would tell Phoebe and Phoebe would equally hate Arnold and the two females had every right to.

The more Arnold thought about the words he and Helga exchanged the more vile he seemed. She claimed he had chosen Lila over her basically. That she was nothing but sex and by the looks of the situation without his say so she would be correct in every aspect. Why hadn't he stopped her when she had become so personal and so correct with her accusations. Whenever he was with Lila he thought of Helga and when the dates were over he went and fooled around with Helga immediately afterward. He thought by ending things it might correct everything but so far it was the total opposite. Arnold P. Shortman had fucked up and it was killing him to know he was the cause. That there was no cure.

The walk home was a breeze. With each step was a thought Arnold tried to come up with to help resolve his dilemma but nothing could help. Helga and him would just have to keep their distance from each other...for forever. He wiped his eye as another tear tried to fall. Without a word to his grandpa or grandma, Arnold headed to his room laid in bed and tried to forget. But all he got was the images of blonde wavy hair, the scent of pomegranate and mango, the sound of her sweet moaning, and the feel of her ivory silk hands slapping him across the face.

**Later...**

It had been 2 weeks since the incident and she had become colder than ever. But this cold was worse than her bullying it was the pure silence she gave everyone. She stopped speaking and she stopped sitting at the table with the p.s118 crew. Mid October and Helga could truly feel the fall. She would get stopped and asked by many of the ps118 crew why she stopped sitting with them and she's would answer them with some bogus answer or just silence. She didn't even sit in the cafeteria during lunch in fear that she would see Arnold, She never thought she could hate someone so much in her entire life. Olga didn't even compare in her younger years of stupid jealousy.

Helga reminisced about the day hell froze over.The day Olga and Helga had found comfort in each others company. Olga was getting married and of course everything was about her and had to be done her way. Well Helga couldn't necessarily blame the girl it was her wedding but did she always have to painfully make it even more annoying.

_Her brides maids and half drunk mother were in the room crowding Olga and praising her for the prom queen she was, she looked even more beautiful than before. Her hair in a bun with bangs, a floral tiara veil. Her lips red and cheeks flushed. She wasn't her cheery self and no one had noticed except Helga. Helga took in all the negative energy Olga vibe out and smiled pleasantly let the guy have Olga and keep her forever. Olga was blankly staring at her reflection her eye averted over to Helga's turquoise. _

_"Oh looka here girls, its time." Mirium smiled brightly. She rushed the brides maids out and Helga began to follow suit but stopped, her damn conscious. With a loud sigh and a shut of the door she allowed herself to be alone with the famous Olga Pataki. _

_"Spit it out Olga." Helga said with disinterest._

_"Huh? Oh hi baby sister what's the matter?" Olga smiled but it didn't reach her eyes._

_"More like what's the matter with _you._ Why aren't you throwing flowers and growing pixie wings?" Helga half joked._

_"I don't know what you're talking about Helga."_

_"Ugh cut the crap sister. Your not all mother Teresa. Spill." _

_"It's just I...Helga have you ever truly loved someone. So much so their every word and presence utters your whole being?"_

_Oh Helga knew that feeling well. She had still pinned for that football head, Arnold. This time she had watched silently from afar. They didn't speak anymore and she was comfortable with that. He wouldn't have to deal with her problems anymore and here was Olga expressing her same view on love. Of having a love so strong, it made her question her sister entirely but Helga knew she would have to lie. She just couldn't get that close. _

_"Well I ugh...heh heh can't say I have." Helga pulled at the yellow dress that was tight against her body and rather unattractive, she wondered if Olga purposely gave her that dress. At least her face was decent with light makeup touches and her long hair flowing out. _

_"Well that's how I feel about Roderick. He means so much to me Helga, I can't even express to you how much so. He accepts me flaws and all." Olga smiled to herself. Helga could see the water building up in Olga's blue eyes._

_"Sounds perfect so what's wrong." Helga sat down, she knew they would be here for a few minutes more._

_"I'm terrified. I'm afraid to truly love him, to commitment myself to him. I don't want to expose myself to him and have him hate me. I don't want to be like mummy and daddy." _

_There was the truth, something Helga had begged for from her sister for years. The truth that their family was anything but right. Olga had always known and Helga knew she did, it was just saying it out loud, facing the acceptance._

_"You're just accepting the truth."_

_"I've always known Helga, I was there long before you were and I had to grow up with it too. I'm sorry you've had to see them the way I have. I'm sure it's gotten worse."_

_"You have no idea." Helga muttered._

_It had gotten worse, they began to argue out loud. Mirium would drink more and Bob would return home later than normal. Since Olga had fully left and the visits had dimmed down to none they paid no attention to their other daughter. Helga did everything on her own now. She bought the groceries, cooked, bought her own clothes and supplies with Bob's money of course but still it was like living on your own with a certain amount of cash. There was no such thing as home. _

_"You know Helga Mummy and Daddy weren't always like this. They loved each other once. They still do I think." _

_Olga had thought back to the days when Bob and Mirium giggled and cooked together, she had been four then. She remembered Mirium baking brownies and they threw batter at each other playfully. Bob had kissed the batter off Mirium and she in return licked the batter off his face and neck. Olga was happy that day, there was no dire need to impress them. They had loved each other and her unconditionally. But all things change._

_"Long shot that is."_

_"It's true Helga! I don't want me and Roderick to be that way. For us to be so in love and then hate each other and bring it out unintentionally on our future children."_

_"Olga that's Bob and Mirium, you are Olga and Roderick isn't Bob. You've learned what not to do and how to fix things from seeing Bob and Mirium. I just hope you're not afraid to show the man you love yourself. Love is a lot of things but its honest, there is no hiding just seeking."_

_Olga had teared up, when had her baby sister become such a young lady. No Olga had thought. Helga has always been wise beyond her years, Olga smiled the tears running down._

_"I love you Helga. I'm so sorry." She began to sob onto Helga squeezing her deathly tight._

_"Oh Olga Crimeny get off!" She pushed Olga away roughly. "And geez what are you sorry for?"_

_"Not being there enough for you. I admit I was more concerned with myself. Forgive me please baby sister. I won't marry Roderick unless you do."_

_"See Olga there it is. I would accept your apology but once again it's about you. You're trying to manipulate me into forgiving you for neglecting me along with Bob and Mirium, allowing it. I don't know if I can yet. Go marry Roderick." Helga began to stand up._

_"Helga please don't go yet." Olga pleaded standing just as quickly._

_A knock could be heard at the door. _

_"Hey Olga get your keister out here, you can't keep the poor boy waiting!" Bob's voice crashed._

_"Coming in a bit daddy." Olga sugar coated her voice. Her eyes went to her baby sister._

_"It's okay Olga. We have time to figure things out between us but for now its about you and Roderick today. You should go." Helga tried to smile but it was weak._

_"I love you Helga, I...I really am sorry." Helga shrugged and opened the door to see a Bob in a tight suit._

_"Olga why aren't you in your seat?!"_

_"Helga, dad. It's Helga." The teen sighed._

_"Ohh yea whatever come on Olga." Olga watched as Helga walked away from her. One day they would fix things but for now she had to focus on herself because Olga Pataki had no clue who she was._

The two had kept in touch after the wedding. Helga had found comfort in speaking with her sister over the phone. It was great having someone to talk to about what was going on at home and at school. Slowly they were repairing their relationship. Helga had even gone so far as to tell Olga about Arnold, not every detail (Stalking/Shrine building/poetry) but just her love for him. Olga had supported her thoroughly. Then sophomore year came and Olga had been pregnant, Helga couldn't be happier, she was going to be a aunt. 6-7 had passed from Sophomore year and the calls stopped, the letters and cards of endearment as well. A month passed and nothing, Helga did research but found that they had moved from the house Olga had started with Roderick in Seattle. After a year Helga had lost hope and just added this to the list of disappointment Olga bestowed on her. She rather believe that then her sister being in danger so she tucked it away, like everything else.

She cried so much now, so much so she couldn't predict how or when the tears would fall. Sometimes she would be alone in her room and then the hot tears would pour down her eyes and continue falling but inside she felt numb, she felt completely broken like nothing could or would ever be truly right again. It was a horrible feeling she was sure but that numb ache prevented much thought toward it. She hated Arnold so much, she repeated it to herself and the more the word hate slipped out the more tears that fell. It was so true and so untrue. She loved him so much it caused her physical harm, she was getting paler and skinnier. She couldn't focus in school, her once decent grades were dropping, her inspiration to write disappearing. Whenever she wrote a poem it was...disturbing to say the least. It was deathly and pain seared. Each poem written spoke of suicide, soul splitting, losing ones self and pleading. She always had questioned faith but now she felt almost certain there was no such thing. Her body ached, she longed for him and hated him all the while. She had to accept the fact that she was just not good enough. She wasn't pretty enough, she wasn't smart enough, popular, kind, loved and easy to love. She was nothing and no matter how much her brain begged for her not to say such things, she knew that it had to be true because she was rejected...yet again to someone much better than her. Sometimes she wished she wasn't so smart because then it would be easier to be a cliché and be loved.

Now in class she had a few tears fall unnoticed. "Helga?" She looked up to see a concerned English teacher. That had caught the classes attention. Helga began to tremble and more tears slid down her cheeks. "Are you alright dear?" She could hear their whispering, her name being uttered. She felt entirely trapped, the tears kept pouring down and now a few of her classmates stood up one being her concerned best friend Phoebe. "Helga...honey?" The teacher tried again. Helga grabbed her bag and dashed out the classroom before anything could become hectic. Her chest was tightening and she could feel herself falling into the sadness, all the pain. It hurt so bad. The tears just wouldn't stop falling, her quick pace just becoming weak, with each heavy footstep walking closer and closer to her destination. Her heart thumped harshly against her chest, her head throbbed, everything just hurt. Nothing made sense, all she could concept was pain and a whirlpool of emotions. Closer and closer...she was almost there...

It was another typical day for Lorenzo, he skipped class to play in the music room, he had study hall this period so it wasn't skipping entirely. He pulled out his beloved instrument and started to tune it listening contently. He closed his eyes as he played James and the giant apple, the crickets night time solo. It was beautiful and he couldn't help but smile at the childhood movie he was entirely fascinated with. His love for originality and creativity continued over the years, increased...he wanted to be more involved with art. His love for art would be his life and he knew his father wouldn't understand it but his mother supported him and that's all he needed to decide that the college for him was NYU, he would take on his fathers business later in life because he knew it meant a lot to him but for now he wanted to do what he loved to do.

Lorenzo paused from his playing when he heard the door shut behind him. _Oh shit_, He thought feeling caught. His instrument to his side now, he stood and turned behind trying to think of an excuse but it wasn't needed. He only saw a beautiful blonde with tears streaming down her eyes remarkable turquoise eyes. Lorenzo put the viola down slowly in its case and walked over with small steps trying not to frighten her. his arms reach out and pulled her in as she feels into him. He lead the crying girl onto the lone chair he had set up and sat her on his lap as she buried her face into his chest. He wouldn't speak or ask her anything yet, he just let her cry into him. He knew Helga well and the first thing he knew about her was that she didn't cry so whatever it was which he had a good idea what it could be was devastating. He held her tighter to him and she clung onto him. They didn't speak until the after school bell rung, even still he sat with her and waited till she moved. He looked down into her wavy blonde hair that came out untied from its ponytail. She was just so beautiful.

Lorenzo was interested in her for various reasons, mainly because he viewed her as art. His love for art even reached as far as to determine who he wanted relationship wise and Helga was art. He watched her in the school plays and knew at the annual art shows that anonymous was hers. In English whenever anonymous poems were read he closed his eyes enraptured by the beauty of the words and just how skilled they were. He did his own little investigation by simple observation. While everyone was either captivated by the words or asleep or texting Helga was the only one who sunk low in her desk and look uninterested. Thus his conclusion that Helga was an artist like himself and her voice in the musicals was one that carried through the entire auditorium, it had so much range and volume and had its own style...he would say it was soulful, reminded him of the girl who sang in the duet band the civil wars. Her personality had so much depth as well, it had layers and layers upon experience and emotion, though it was hard to discover or even guess his observation and lack of judgment made him open his eyes up to the possibility that Helga was suffering her own emotional battles.

Her head lifted back and her turquoise eyes looked into his onyx ones and he shuttered a moment at exactly how beautiful she was. Helga wasn't you're typical blonde, her nose was long but stout and her eyes cat like, her lips were pouty, the top a bit more fuller than the bottom but it looked right. her cheekbones strong and face round shaped with a jaw line that was box like. These unusual qualities in her made him even more attracted to her. She was unique and it made him crazy, if he could he would kiss all her scars away and embrace her but that'd be asking for too much and with Helga he knew it all depended on time and gaining trust. She stood up and he did too after placing his viola back in its case. They walked out together quietly and soon through the hall and outside of the high school building. He wanted to talk, he needed to hear she was okay.

"You're not going to tell me what happened, are you?" He asked narrowing his eyes at her. He watched her bite the tip of her pointer finger and look at him and then avert her gaze away.

Lorenzo closed his eyes and sighed wishing she could trust him, she could. He knew not to pry, to let her come to him and he would do that but it was just only so much you could do when it came to someone of interest. He opened his eyes to feel a cold touch on his left shoulder. He looked down to the pale hand and his eyes met turquoise ones, he looked to her whole face to see a small smile. She whispered "Thanks." And he felt the contact leave, the sparkling tension leave as she turned away and walked away, bag in toll. He watched her leave hands in his pockets. He knew Helga G. Pataki and he would make it his mission to know the mystery.

**You and I were made for this. I was made to taste your kiss. We were made to never fall away.**

**One of these days letters are gonna fall from the sky telling us all to go free**

**But until that day I'll find a way to let everybody know that your coming back coming back for me. **

**Cause even though you left me here, I have nothing left to fear. These are only walls that hold me here.**

**One day soon I'll hold you like the sun holds the moon. **

**And we will hear those planes overhead and we wont have to be scared.**

**You're coming back for me. You're coming back to me...coming back.**

A/N: Remember I'm making this realistic and well unfortunately my generation being 18, we want relations and not relationships, not me of course but a lot of others. So now we have the complete story of what happened the night of Phoebe's party between Arnold and Helga, I really could have been more detailed with the sex scene but Idk. The things I have planned for those two...mhmm mmm mmm *Gerald voice* but as we see their agreement is diminished. And now the other possible love interest will come out to play more.

Till next chapter yo, see yah Broski's

Love always Morgan 3

**PS:** We will see the letter in later chapters. How late? I won't say;)

**Ohhh PSS**: For my male readers...is this too lovey dovey for you? I like appealing to everyone. Let me know.

Review me, criticize me please. I love bettering myself. Is that a word? Anywhoooo bye again. Shit. ;)


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: REVIEW ALL THE CHAPTERS PLEASE!

Welp last chapter was crayy! This chapter will start opening a few doors. A lot of dialogue this chapter, sorry if its too much. Let me know if it is! We will also see some PS118 crew members! **[LONGEST CHAPTER LIKE OMG] **Thanks for reviews, favorites, follows and such:)

Song Featured: Supermassive Black Hole by Muse Check it out;)

Disclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold or anything associated with it. I'm just one creative mofo;)

**Chapter 7**

**Supermassive Black Hole**

Arnold was in front of his date for the night. It was the second week from the incident with Helga and he had set in his mind to try to focus ahead of life and not dwell on the past, or mostly known as her. Lila had her hair up in a neat bun no strands fell out, everything was perfectly slick back and that irritated the corn flower haired boy. Must everything about her remain perfect including her hair? She was a painfully slow eater though it was attractive each small bite and chew she took, even her swallowing the contents of food was delicate. It was almost as if she had taught herself not to be anything but perfect.

Arnold listened to her conversation, it wasn't bad of course, they could talk for hours but the thing was their talks were always small talk. Nothing intimate had crossed between them but Arnold convinced him self that with time Lila and he would be the couple he had always dreamed about since nine.

He had taken her to a sushi and steak house initially but Lila wasn't much for "dead raw fish" as she put it. So instead they went to an American bistro. He didn't mind having a burger and fries with a gorgeous red head, he just wanted to spend more time with her something to remind him why he had ended what he had. Arnold quickly shook his head pushing that thought aside and started up his own conversation.

"Lila how do you feel about me?" He didn't know where this had come from but he just felt like he needed to know.

Lila had nearly choked on her sprite and with a napkin to her mouth and dark blush her eyes narrowed down...lovingly. She had a small sheepish smile on her face.

"Whatever brought this conversation up Arnold?"

Lila was excited actually but also afraid. He had asked her first what she felt about him which could mean he wanted to end things or move forward. She hoped it was the latter. She liked Arnold a lot. He was a kind soul, he listened to her problems and yes Lila had problems. With Arnold she could fall in comfortable conversation. When they held hands or gave small chaste kisses it was a strong sense of security. She wanted nothing more than to be Arnold's girlfriend. _Ask me out already Arnold, come on_, Lila thought sitting up even more.

"Well ugh...we have been dating for a month nearly and I..." Arnold was stuttering. He watched as Lila leaned forward even more fluttering her eye lashes the innocent way she did.

"Yes Arnold." Lila coaxed on.

"I just want to know I guess...I don't wanna bore you or umm...anything and stuff."

"Oh Arnold silly, you could never bore me. I'm ever delighted to be in your company. I always have an amazing time on our dates and well quite honestly..."Lila began to blush even more and found her lap interesting. "I like you a lot Arnold."

Arnold knocked down his fork.

"You ugh do?!" He was surprised Lila had confessed that. It was traumatic the first time Lila had let him down claiming she didn't like him like him.

"Well yes, more than any other guy I've ever liked. You...you're different." Lila looked up and smiled.

"You, Lila Sawyer like me like me?" Arnold pointed at him self still unsure.

Lila couldn't stop the giggle, she smiled at Arnold. He was so modest, so selfless and sweet she needed that in her life.

"Yes Arnold, I, Lila Sawyer like you like you...again." She added with a wink.

The check had arrived by that time. Arnold blushing wildly paid while Lila went off to use the restroom before they parted for the night. It was a windy night but it was still young outside so they decided to take another one of their walks together. Lila had wrapped her arm around Arnolds waist claiming it was cold but Arnold knew better knowing her feelings now. The walk had been content silence and continued on that way for a half hour or so. Lila looked up at Arnold's face and smiled to herself, she had gotten so lucky, he was an amazing guy and quite handsome but someimes he seemed so distant when he was with her and she questioned that along with him not making things official between the two...putting two and two together she wondered if there could be a possible other.

Lila Sawyer was not a stupid girl, actually she knew very well about relations and relationships. She had had a few of them in her last highschool. Her last relationship was horrible. Her ex boyfriend who was an odd character but intriguing well to her at least betrayed her by cheating on her with the schools bad girl. It hurt to say the least especially how he ended it, he along with his new girlfriend had publicly humiliated her in the hallway. It had been embarrassing and so hard for Lila, she felt abandoned. Lila had a hard time dealing with anything that wasn't perfect in her life...so she moved back to Hillwood happily with her father. She left that part out from Arnold because well...he didn't need to know.

Lila had then decided maybe a guy who showed her no real interest and had a shield up wasn't the right guy for her. Though she loved and was passionately attracted to those kind of males it always lead to unrequited love or heart ache. Arnold made it apparent how he felt, he was romantic and open. He was different she didn't lie about that and her feelings for him just started becoming more vulnerable. She really liked Arnold and she just knew he wouldn't let her down. He was a _honest_ guy after all, most honest in Hillwood!

"Arnold?" She asked pressing her body a bit closer to Arnold, her arm wrapped around his waist.

"Hmm." He said like awoken from a dream.

"How do you feel about _me_?" Arnold had stopped walking and so Lila paused waiting for his reaction.

"I've liked you since the fourth grade Lila. A day hasn't passed where I wasn't thinking about you from time to time over the years. I'm happy." He smiled his eyes half idled.

Lila almost wanted to cry, no one ever showed her genuine affection. No one was ever so intimate and affectionate with their feelings toward her. He was right for her. Lila briefly smiled her face flushed, heat apparent on her cheeks she leaned up toward Arnold's face and kissed him gently, he didn't move for a moment like he always did when they kissed but he slowly came to it. She pulled at his lips toward hers and took him in embracing him with her lips showing him her gratitude.

"Thank you Arnold." She whispered as her lips detached eyes slowly opening to see a love sick grin on Arnold's face. She giggled and pulled Arnold with her. They continued to walk in tranquility.

**Boarding House...**

Arnold was listening to a few soul and r&b tracks. He was truly diverse when it came to music though his tastes seemed to be one of an old soul, he still listened to newer stuff. His collection of cd's and the files of music on his computer were endless. From various genres to various genres and underground music that hadn't even come out with. Luckily he had friends like Gerald, Sid, Eugene, Lorenzo and Helga that were also diverse in music.

There it was, Helga. He recounted on the numerous occasions where they had shared and listened to music. At times when they had what they had going on, she was just a friend a good friend, hell he would even say bestfriend. It was hard not having her around. They wouldn't hang out anymore, joke around, kiss, touch... Arnold sighed loudly to himself and hated the song that just popped on his screen.

Re-arranged by Limp Bizkit, those guy knew a lot about life and placed it in there music. This particular dealt with a breakup. Reminded him of Helga. Had he really broken up with her? They weren't together-together but damn it felt like a breakup. His phone went off.

'Into the flood again, same old trip it was back then. So I made a big mistake try to see it once my way.'

"Hello?"

"Man what the FUCK happened between you and Helga?!"

Arnold paused for a moment. He and Gerald haven't actually hung out since the event between him and Helga. Arnold made it a point not to tell Gerald because truthfully he wasn't in the mood for one of Gerald's "I told you so" lectures.

"Hi to you to Gerald." Arnold sighed spinning in his desk chair absentmindedly.

"So Phoebe and I just had a heated argument over you."

"Me? I'm flattered." Arnold smirked behind the phone.

"Seriously Arnold? Not a joking moment."

"Sorry Gerald continue." He kicked his feet up on his desk playing with a sock ball he got with Sid and Gerald once at a Jamaican thrift shop. Place smelled like straight weed when they entered. The sock ball wasn't their only purchase that day.

"Ugh anyway. Phoebe went off on me cause I said I would probably hang with you tomorrow and she said...well I'm going to be straight up with you. The girl hates you." Gerald said waiting for some type of response.

Arnold was just silent he had prepared for this.

"Well I defended you saying you were my main mans that you were incapable of fucking with someone intentionally. Phoebe was real worked up and I was too. She blurted out how Helga cried in class earlier today and that Phoebe knew it was because of you."

Arnold's attention was caught, Helga cried in class?

"And that's when I find out from Phoebe I clearly don't know something between you and Helga that had went down. Crazy right?" Gerald was being sarcastic.

Arnold sighed quietly to himself and placed the phone closer to his ear and sat comfortably now, his two feet on the ground firmly.

"I ended things with Helga two weeks ago. It was bad Gerald, she even slapped me."

It was quiet and Arnold awaited for the lecture but it didn't come just silence.

"Gerald?"

"I'm here just thinking." Arnold tapped his fingers on his desk. "I'm glad its over."

Arnold stopped nearly dropped his phone. "You...you are?"

"I mean it wasn't going anywhere. It was just going to get worse. I mean it should have been done earlier but it is what it is. Know that if we don't hang out at lunch it's because of what happened."

"I didn't mean for things to be like this..." Arnold trailed off.

"You didn't mean for it but I tried to tell you. Once things have gone the way they have between you two its no turning back. You can't just expect things to be really over like you two haven' done things no one else has. Girls take it much harder than us guys do. She may have said she didn't have feelings for you but she did. Girls lie ALL the time for no damn reason!" Gerald emphasized.

"Gerald she made it clear she hates me."

"Huh I'm not in the mood for this. Look I'll catch you after work. Your shift ends at 10 right?"

"Probably 10:30-45. Kevin always makes me close." Arnold groaned annoyingly. Ever since he started working at Slausen's Kevin the co manager made it a point to make Arnold's life hell. But Arnold didn't quit or intend to, he was a happy worker and the customers made sure to praise him to Mr. Slausen himself.

"Cool I'll pick you up, we'll go chill with the guys at Harold's."

"I need video games, beers and pizza."

"I bet moe." Gerald laughed. "See yah bubbah."

"Ha bye...moe?"

"Arnold seriously stop trying." CLICK.

Arnold smiled briefly to himself but found it not reaching his eyes. He took a shower, dressed quickly and went straight to bed. He had a long day ahead of him. As he tried to sleep he kept getting an image of Helga crying and wondering if he was the reason for it.

**Satur-mofo-day...**

Arnold threw down the tattered rag into the empty sink and sighed loudly after wiping sweat from his forehead. Kevin had made Arnold clean all the tables, wash all the dishes, stack up the chairs and sweep and mop. Arnold was finding it hard to keep his cool around Kevin but he wads a patient man so he did what he was told and hoped one day Kevin could ease up on the assignments.

With a toss of his apron to the rack Arnold entered to the front to see Kevin counting the profits of today. Arnold contemplating going straight out the door but he had to clock out and that was right beside Kevin. With a huff of air Arnold moved forward to clock out. Kevin glared at the cornflower haired teen.

"Done with the dishes?" Kevin asked as if the assignments were too much.

"I did everything you asked Kevin." Arnold stretched his arms a yawn escaping his lips.

"Tired huh?" Kevin had a smug smile on his face.

"Work does that." Arnold saw Gerald's headlights flashed in the store. "Gotta go, night Kevin." Arnold hopped over the counter and coolly walked out the door.

"You know work only gets harder!" Kevin continued to shout at Arnold but little to his expense did Arnold turn back or even care.

When Arnold entered the vehicle he noticed Gerald glaring in the store.

"You okay Gerald?" Arnold asked.

"Arnold, Sid, Harold, Stinky and I could get that nerd. He won' even be able to associate us to doing it! Sid's got these masks...I think one's a former president. We could toss him around a bit..."

"Gerald?!"

"What?" Gerald was out of his trance.

"Let's just...I need to take a shower."

"Quick trip to the boarding house it is." Gerald said. Arnold slid into his seat his head leaning against the window, it was nice being off. "We really could get him though..."

"Gerald dammit!"

**Harold's Place...**

Gerald and Arnold arrived a bit late due to Arnold's shift and shower break. When they arrived pizza boxes, chips, candy bars, wings and yahoo bottles littered the living room. Sid and Eugene were playing Speed is Need on the floor while Harold was on his laptop watching wrestlemania. Stinky was laughing at Eugene's victory while Curly and Sid fought over the controllers. Peapod kid ad Park were blasting music and bobbing their heads along to the lyrics. Arnold smiled to himself, this was definetly mans night.

"Hey my dudes!" Sid smirked. Curly was currently playing against Eugene.

Gerald nodded his head toward Sid and pulled up a chair beside him. Arnold imitated the same and looked around noticing someone from their group was missing.

"Hey everyone." Arnold said. Majority of the room responded.

Shortly after a few minutes Gerald and Sid started a game up of cards, Harold of course wanted to gamble and Stinky could never refuse a good game of cards so they begun. Arnold silently went through room briefly speaking with everyone but his mind was on his missing friend. He spoke with Peapod kid and Park, Lorenzo's good friends.

"Hey guys what's going on?" Arnold sat beside them.

"Yo Arnold, just listening to something different." Arnold took a listen, it was obviously sooner music but it had a great vibe to it. He wasn't big on rap but he could get into this.

"This is actually nice...who is it?"

"ASAP Rock. Lorenzo suggested it." Park nodded his head to the beat.

"Speaking of Lorenzo, where is he?" Arnold was glad he didn't have to bring up the subject on his own.

"He'll be here soon, man's busy entertaining company." Peapod kid elbowed Park.

Arnold raised a eyebrow. "Company?"

Park rolled his eyes. "My friend you're too dense, Helga duh." Peapod Kid began to chuckle again. And then Arnold sniffed out the familiar substance. Of course they were high.

The door busted open and everyone's attention was fixed on a tall Cuban and the blonde beauty beside him. Arnold's heart momentarily stopped when he saw Helga, she had on a long sweater that came to above her knees and her legs were out, creamy and pale like he remembered. They walked in coolly and for a brief moment Helga made eye contact with Arnold but quickly turned her gaze to the card game with Lorenzo.

"What's up guys?" Lorenzo's hands were in his pockets.

"What's up? What's up?!" Sid began to shout. "Dude where were you, you're never late to..." Sid looked at Helga and his eye narrowed dangerously. "You." He spoke to Helga.

"What's your problem dick nose?"

"Dick nose? Really Helga?!" Gerald and Stinky tried to stifle their laughter while Harold bellowed out a loud thunder of a laugh.

"Okay okay sheesh it doesn't look like a dick." Helga rolled her eyes.

"What's Helga doing here Lorenzo? Guys only unless Helga decided to get her balls back." Harold smirked.

Arnold had slid by easily and watched the transaction.

Helga threw a math book at Harold' face and he nearly dodged it getting hit on the side of his head.

"The hell?!"

"Here's the math book I was so kind to bring over and here is the Cuban I'm glad to get rid of. Good night Pee Wee's." Helga stormed out the house and Lorenzo followed after her.

Arnold sneakily watched from the window as Lorenzo grabbed Helga's wrist gently and pulled her into a hug. Arnold bit his lower lip for it was trembling and his eyes briefly closed. He continued to watch and see that Helga didn't move at all, in fact she was stiff and unfocused. Then it happened, her eyes met Arnold's at the window. Arnold stood still like a deer caught in the headlights and she glared viciously. She pushed Lorenzo off her and went to the drivers side of her car slamming her door and driving off. Lorenzo stood dumbfounded but turned his gaze to the window by then Arnold fell to the ground hoping he wasn't caught...not again.

Well one thing was apparent Lorenzo liked Helga...a lot. That made Arnold feel angry for some reason. A smirk started to form on his face. Arnold kept getting the image of Helga standing stiffly against Lorenzo's body. She didn't feel the same.

**Helga...**

A week had past since Helga's crying incident with Lorenzo, the following Monday Lorenzo made it a point to ask Helga to hang out, she of course declined but the guy was persistent. As the day continued Lorenzo had waited outside all of Helga's classes right when the bell rang and asked if she had changed her mind, he walked her to and from classes asking again, he had even followed her, Phoebe and Gerald to lunch. While Phoebe thought it was cute, Helga was feeling the quite the opposite. Lorenzo even during his study hall came into her class and kneeled on one knee begging Helga to hang out with him. Helga the nervous anti social creature she was looked around nervously at her amused classmates. The teacher had yelled at Lorenzo and threatened a weeks worth of detention if he didn't leave. "Helga I won't leave until you say yes." He gave her a stern expression.

A couple of stupid girls awed. Helga smirked deviously at him. She was seriously thinking of letting the fool take the detentions but she felt kinder today so she accepted and Lorenzo thanked her with a kiss on the cheek and a quick apology to the class. After school she hung out with him in the music room, listened to his music. Lorenzo had a style to him that was soulful. He had a soprano, tenor voice much like artists Bruno Saturn, and Justin Timberpond but his music he created was more like Gary Clark Jr. and had strong elements of rock. A lot of his lyrical ability reminded her of The Police, Brand New and Wilco. But the instrumentals were like Black Sabbath, Gnarles Barkley, and Gary Clark Jr. He was amazing it had surprised her so much. He was an artist like her and she began to fall in love with his sound, every song and lyric included.

Helga thought back to the screenplay her and Eugene were writing, mostly her work. She had always participated with the schools plays, something that she wanted to keep quiet. She wasn't much for being the center, she could do it but she choose not to. A greater part of her liked to create the entertainment not star in it. Eugene was great with music and he usually dealt with it but because this screenplay was completely different from any other they needed help. The music was big because it had to create a mood for the audience. Helga smiled slightly to herself as she watched Lorenzo become one with his music. It was almost unworldly how passionate he was, she could relate on so many levels. So she asked him and he was more than happy to help, this was Helga after all. But he only did on one agreement, that she would sing with him on one of his songs for his demo track he was going to send to NYU. After long bargaining Helga agreed only and only if the play was a success.

They started to grow accustomed to each others company by Wednesday they ate lunch together with Phoebe and Gerald. It was refreshing to have her mind off of the stresses at home and with Arnold. Lorenzo was a good friend and she silently thanked the universe for having pretty okay days when he was around.

Friday had come and Helga cursed under her breath watching all the couples plan their dates for the night and friends go and party. She would have done the same but she just didn't want to party, she wanted to relax at home. She opened her locker and a folded up piece of paper fell at her feet.

"Okay." She said picking it up.

What are you doing tonight ;)

"Freak." Helga muttered crinkling the paper in her hand.

"Hey I worked hard on that winky face." Lorenzo was leaned against the locker beside her looking down at her. Helga looked up at him with an incredous gaze.

"You suck at being a perv." Helga shut her locker and grabbed her bag off the floor walking ahead, she heard Lorenzo's footsteps after hers.

"Damn that's a first." He laughed, a playful look in his eyes. Helga tried to stifle her laugh, Lorenzo made her laugh easily. "So you never answered."

"Answered what tall dark and handsome." Helga sarcastically spoken.

"Mmm me gusta mucho, si bonita."

"What?!" Helga stomped.

"I said yes beautiful I like...a lot." Helga blushed and quickly turned her gaze away and continued to walk. "Wait!"

"What now?" Helga rested her hand on her hip impatiently, _what was this kids problem?_

"What are you doing today?" Lorenzo had his smirk.

"Oh the usual go home to enjoy not having a life." Helga raised her eyebrows briefly and went to walk on.

"You're not going to ask what I'm doing today?" Lorenzo had an annoyed tone.

"Nope." Lorenzo sighed loudly and balanced on his heels. Helga smirked to herself, she might as well he was a cool guy. "Because I know what you're doing today, you're coming over for Chinese, music and movies. Maybe even a quickie if I'm bored." Helga shrugged and continued to walk. She stopped after not feeling Lorenzo beside her she looked back to see him standing there for a moment. "Let's go paste for brains." Helga laughed looking a him. He caught up easily.

"A quickie huh?"

"That was a joke."

"Not for me. I drove here so I guess I'll just follow you." Helga just nodded.

**Pataki Residence...**

Lorenzo was surprised at how quiet and neat the home as if nothing had been touch except the recliner chair in front of the TV. The environment didn't seem all that friendly either. But he continued on taking it in and hoping to some day question Helga about it or get answers from her at least. No one was home, just those two and Lorenzo felt rude not having any parents to meet. Helga acted as if none of it fazed her, like she was so use to being alone.

She took him to her room and shoved him on the bed so he could sit. _Must she always be aggressive,_ Lorenzo thought. He curiously watched her pull out two huge zipper cases. She threw them on the bed beside him. She opened one to reveal cd's with their cover behind them. Lorenzo looked up at a smiling Helga who watched his reaction. It was almost like Christmas. She had a vast amount of cd's from all types of genres but this case in particular mostly obtained rock, indie, folk and metal, lots of metal.

"Wow Helga this is..." He was speechless.

"Awesome, yea I collect cd's. This is mostly as you can see metal, rock, and indie. All that good junk."

He saw artists and bands: Megadeth, Scorpions, Black Sabbath, The Police, Birdie, Rush, Iron Maiden, Queen, Rolling Stones, The Eagles, Bon Jovi, Pearl Jam, Seether, Disturbed, Brand New, Poison, Radiohead, Slint, Weezer, Alanis Morisette, Evanescence, Linkin Park, Muse, Alice in Chains, Anberlin, Fall of Troy, Circa Survive, Black Keys, The Who, Fall Out Boy, The Used, Paramore, Heart, Def Leppard, B52's, The Strokes, The Pixies, Death Cab For Cutie, Prince, Guns N Roses, Nine Inch Nails, AC/DC and so many fucking more.

It was like she didn't discriminate at all when it came to genres of rock. Lorenzo pulled out The police, one of his favorite groups and placed it in her stereo system which came with big speakers. He smiled when the song "Roxanne" started playing. He turned around to see a giggling Helga as he sang the first notes, she shortly after joined him. The jumped around and sang obnoxiously.

Lorenzo looked through her other case to find lots of soul, r&b, jazz, a bit of rap and loads of pop. She had a great collection of music. Her love of music deepened his crush on her, there were just so many folds of her personality and with each time they spoke she unraveled bit of herself that he started to fall for. They had ordered Chinese, she wanted shrimp rice noodles while he was in the mood for orange chicken. They started eating off of each others plates while she explained the play to him and how long she's been writing it.

"You know that will definitely raise enough money for the seniors."

"I know, it's a given but I wanted to make my own version that gave the book justice unlike the movie."

"The movie is kind of sappy." Lorenzo laughed.

"Kinda." Helga smirked.

"Okay it's all mushy. The books were great though."

"You read the books?!" Helga sat up completely and stabbed her fork through Lorenzo's chicken.

"Hey! Yea I read em." Lorenzo grabbed her plate and started eating some noodles.

"I should murder you but I want your chicken."

"Switch?"

"What the hell why not." Helga shrugged. The switched plates and began to eat quietly.

"You going to Harold's for the Halloween fest we always have?"

"I didn't plan on it." Helga thought about Arnold and Lila, she didn't want to see them there.

"You shouldn't not go just because of Arnold." Lorenzo knew why she was hesitant, Arnold and Lila would be there and that situation would be awkward but still Helga deserved to have fun with her friends, it wasn't fair.

"That's not the reason." Helga insisted annoyed at how easily Lorenzo picked up on things about her.

"Liar liar pants on fire." Lorenzo sang his smirk mocking her.

"FINE I'll go! Happy?" She crossed her arms, scowling.

"Actually yes." He nodded and continued to eat.

"Just eat and shutup."

**Monday Lunch...**

Today would be a different day for Phoebe and Gerald, they would sit with their other friends the PS118 crew all with the exception of Helga and Lorenzo. Ever since he came around it seemed like their favorite blonde female was preoccupied by the Cuban male. Gerald was secretly happy, he enjoyed Helga and Lorenzo's company but Arnold was his brother, luckily his girlfriend understood that so today and for the rest of the week they would hang out with Arnold and the rest of their friends.

Arnold sat with Lila by his side who was capturing the attention of the table with a more than appropriate joke. He could tell their friends were getting bored all except Stinky who pretty much found anything amusing. It would be another day not hanging out with Gerald, it sucked how whipped his friend was. Arnold shook his head and pretended to listen to his girlfriend when really he thought about Helga and how she fucked with his life even without her presence there. Sid had interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey Phoebe and Gerald, long time!"

Arnold nearly spit out his milk when he noticed his life long friend standing before him. Gerald sent everyone a handsome smirk and Phoebe meekly waved but sent narrowed eyes toward Arnold. The couple took their seats. Phoebe clearly wasn't going to be forgiving him anytime soon.

"Yes it has been, sorry." Phoebe took a sip of her grape cranberry juice.

"Helga goin' to show up?" Stinky asked eating lemon pudding, as usual.

The remaining group had looked with interest toward Phoebe and Gerald who spent the most time with the blonde. Phoebe looked at Gerald and the tall black male did the same in turn at her.

"Nah Helga's busy." Gerald answered taking a bite out of his lunch his girlfriend made him.

"It's just ever so weird Helga hasn't shown up." Lila looked around at the rest of the group.

"Not really." Phoebe muttered harshly. Gerald lightly jabbed her.

Arnold raised an eyebrow and begged silently for nothing to happen between the two females. It was so tense at the table, he was sure the other ps118 members felt it as well all except Lila of course.

"Oh sorry Phoebe what was that?" Lila truly looked concerned.

"Nothing Lila."

Phoebe wasn't necessarily upset with Lila it just hurt knowing her best friend's problems rooted from this girl being around. Phoebe also had her suspicions that Lila knew more than what she lead on to but the Asian could care less at the moment, she didn't want to be anywhere near Arnold. It disgusted her how he could easily drop an amazing girl, crush her spirit and eat lunch with another female as if nothing happened. _If he wasn't Gerald's bestfriend_...Phoebe let the thought trail.

Arnold thanked God quickly and went back to eating silently, hoping it would be the last time someone brought up Helga. He was sweating already from that little interaction. Lila held his hand under the table and sent him a small smile. He smiled back feeling a bit better but still the thoughts lingered in the back of his mind. Arnold had taken Lila out every weekend and this one coming up should signify some kind of change for them as a item. He was sure Lila was getting exhausted from the dancing around of their future, he knew he was but he was secretly waiting for something. He had no clue what exactly it was but it made him sit back in the position he was in now.

"I wonder where Lorenzo is?" Eugene spoke.

"Oh yes! We need his help for the songs for the winter musical." Sheena chimed in.

Arnold narrowed his eyes suspiciously, where was Lorenzo. He watched as Phoebe genuinely smiled but didn't say a word.

"Hey winter isn't coming up that soon." Harold looked up from his wings and fries.

"Yes Harold but still Helga and I are writing the playwright for it, so it's better we have everything prepared to show to the theatre administrator to approve of our play by the beginning of November, so we can get the play out in December."

"I didn't know Helga helped you with the playwrights Eugene." Arnold genuinely was surprised. Helga writing the school play.

"Oh Arnold how silly of you. Helga comes up with the ideas usually, I just help out. I would tell all of you what it is but I don't want to ruin the surprise and trust me..." Eugene looked around at the group. "It's going to be amazing and help our senior funding."

"Oh Eugene I can't wait! The costumes will be fun...Oh and the props!" Sheena smiled brightly.

"Boy howdy I hate not being apart of a secret, that's shitty."

"Oh wilkers! It's Lorenzo and Helga!"

Arnold and everyone else turned their attention to Helga who was standing rather close next to Lorenzo who was whispering to her and smirking. It made Arnold's blood boil watching how the two seemed to give off a couple vibe. She wasn't looking at all at him, in fact she looked really pale and hesitant like she didn't want to be there.

"Hey amigos." Lorenzo spoke in his cool like voice.

Gerald bumped fist with the Cuban and the rest of the other boys followed. Arnold noticed Helga nor Lorenzo sat down, they obviously didn't plan on staying.

"Helga what the hell man?!" Harold asked. Helga just sent a small smirk but didn't speak.

"Where have-"

"Hey ugh Eugene. I just came to ask if you wanted to come over afterschool. We can go over the play. I came up with some more material and have a bunch of new bands for us to check out. Sheena come over too"

"Actually that's great Lorenzo I wouldn't have had any other time to work on it this week. Sheena?" Eugene looked to the tall model like female.

"I can go, I'll just have to let my mom know I'll be over at your place. Helga you coming?"

"Yea." The blonde girl kept her hands in her pockets of her grey Hollister hoodie. She wasn't even looking at anyone at the table. Arnold took notice and Lorenzo did too sending a smile to everyone.

"Well cool, see you guys later, my locker afterschool?"

"Yeppers." Eugene smiled enthusiastically.

Lorenzo tugged on Helga's arm and she released her hand from her hoodie letting it fall to the side of her. Arnold watched as Lorenzo slipped his hand into hers and they began to turn away from the group. Something built up inside before the Football headed hero noticed he stood up from the table catching everyone's attention around him. "Hi Helga!" He nearly shouted.

Helga let go of Lorenzo's hand and froze in place, her shoulders visibly tensed and she continued to walk ahead, Lorenzo trying to keep up the pace. Arnold mouth agape looked around at his friends, his eyes landed on Phoebe and Gerald. Gerald shook his head disapprovingly and Phoebe hatefully glared at Arnold.

"Well damn..." Sid sipped his coke. Stinky and Harold budded elbows throwing small laughter at each other at the display. Sheena and Eugene quietly spoke amongst themselves.

"That was ever so rude." Lila remarked taking a nibble of her sandwich. Arnold finally sat down and wanted to drown in his tapioca pudding. _What the fuck was that_, he thought.

The bell rung, Arnold was almost grateful.

**The Boarding House...**

Arnold had it all planned out for 8 years now. How he would ask Lila Sawyer to be his girlfriend. And well he honestly couldn't afford elephants and a hot air balloon. He laughed to himself as he set up the black and white pillows and zebra blanket on the ground of the roof of the boarding house. He put white lanterns up as well. Ideas all suggested from Gerald specifically the zebra blanket. Something about chicks dig zebra print. Arnold shrugged it off and had the silverware and china his grandpa let him borrow. It was a nice set but not the nicest they had.

Arnold struggled placing himself in black slacks and a dark green button up shirt, he rolled the sleeves up and tried to settle his hair down but it did nothing but become wilder he groaned loudly to himself and cursed the catering company he ordered from that the food wasn't here yet. Then he heard it, a knock on the door. He checked his clock it was 7 o'clock Lila couldn't be here just yet, he made sure to tell her to be here at 8.

He ran down the steps praying it was food but no it was Lila Sawyer in a beautiful short blood red dress with dark blue stockings, her hair was perfectly straight and piled more on one side with a dark blue ribbon holding it in place. She had a bit of makeup on but mostly to enhance her cheek bones, lips and eyes.

"Wow Lila." Arnold was dumbstruck. Lila smirked batting her long eyelashes.

"Wow yourself Arnold, you look so handsome tonight." Arnold was still staring and then thought it's 7 O'clock.

"Lila why are you here so early?" He asked letting her in.

"Early?" She gave him a look. "You said 7:45 to 8:00. It's 8:10."

"WHAT?! Ugh my stupid clock. Sorry Lila my clock is an hour back."

"Ohh how ever so comical. I hope I'm not ruining the surprise you have set for us?"

"No you could never ruin anything." Arnold took her hand and gave it a quick peck. Lila blushed hard and held onto Arnold's hand. "Let's talk for a bit. I'm just waiting for the food I ordered for us."

"Oh you ordered for us. How sweet." Lila cooed her lips against Arnold's ear. Arnold pulled at his collar.

"Yea. ugh heh hehh." There was a knock at the door. "Oh the food. Let me umm get that." Arnold rushed to the door and gave the man his money after receiving the bag of food.

Arnold slowly came up behind Lila and whispered in her ear. "Ready for that surprise?" Lila turned her head to him and smiled she wordlessly nodded.

Arnold lead her up to his room in the attic. He held Lila's shoulder lightly as she was about to go up on the roof.

"Stay here for a moment, so I can set everything up." Arnold kissed her cheek and went on the roof with the food. He set the plates up and placed the food on them. He returned and held Lila's hand.

"Close your eyes." He teased. Lila smiled brightly and allowed herself to be lead up on the roof.

When they arrived on the flat ground of the rooftop Arnold removed his hands from around the red head's eyes. Lila was amazed at the scenery. Arnold had laid out red rose petals toward where they would sit, lanterns leading the way toward the white blanket that was cushioned with a mat beneath it. A zebra print blanket laid out with white pillows aligned in a square. A small coffee table in the middle where the silverware and food sat. Everything was beautifully placed, neat and wonderfully decorated. Lila could feel a warm sensation draw on her cheek, the sensation was wet.

"Arnold no one has ever cared so much about me. I'm sorry if I'm being over sensitive but this means so much to me, you mean so much." Lila cleared the tears away with her napkin, she still had the biggest grin on her face.

"I'm..." Arnold had no idea this would mean so much to Lila that she would cry. It added a lot of pressure that he wouldn't ruin her night or the rest of them.

"Lila I wish I could have done more but if this makes you happy then I guess I've done my job." Arnold smiled.

Lila enjoyed her meal with Arnold, they had light airy conversation, it was refreshing. Lila had never been happier and Arnold had never felt so nervous. Was he ready for this commitment?

"Lila." Arnold had spoken. She looked up at him from her salad.

"Lila I have felt a connection to you since fourth grade. Since the moment you left your memory has always been with me. When I was awake at night at times I thought of you. I mean a girl I haven't seen for years." Arnold chuckled a bit. "I...Lila would you be my girlfriend? I really like like you." Arnold pulled at his collar and cursed himself for that last part.

"Mhmm." Lila had a huge closed mouth grin as if she was concealing something. He was confused for a second until she yelped in joy. "I'm so glad you asked me I've been waiting." Lila began to laugh and Arnold tilted his head o the side and joined her. Soon both were rolling with laughter and holding their sides.

"I guess I was scared you would reject me...again." Arnold smirked.

"A foolish mistake on my part." Lila stood and sat on Arnold's lap. Arnold stiffened but relaxed. "Hi boyfriend." Lila smirked and closed her eyes pecking Arnold on the lips.

"Umm hi...girlfriend." Arnold really wasn't one for cute lovey dovey titles but if it got him kisses...

Lila had pressed her body against Arnold and began to take an adventure with Arnold's lips and tongue. He aggressively responded. For the first time Lila wasn't being chaste, no she was actually allowing him to violate her mouth. Though he was doing majority of the work she still allowed him.

Lila ended up being underneath him, the two's lips still not detached. She had begun to moan into his mouth and he wanted to venture down her body so badly but she kept lacing his hands to her waist, after the second try he gave up and thought, _something is better than nothing_. Arnold had done it, he could cross off one of the things on his bucket list. Making Lila Sawyer his girlfriend. He still had one he needed to cross off though...figuring out Helga G. Pataki. Well actually two, making amends with the blonde too.

**Halloween fest...**

Harold's home had looked the same for years, it was modern, very tidy and put together. He was excited to be hosting the annual Halloween fest at his house. It would be his first year volunteering to do so...well Patty actually. Harold at first complained that his friends would eat all the food but Patty coaxed him out of the ridiculous idea and said they would bring food themselves they just needed a house, his house and by doing so he did something greatly huge for his friends. Harold was proud of himself as he peered at all his friends who sat on the floor, couches and chairs spread all around each other. The huge flat screen TV his parents bought from Helga's dad's store was blasting with a girls scream. They had just started watching Friday the 13th James returns.

The house was relatively silent, Sid was beginning to become bored and boredom did not mix well with Sid.

"Hey Harold shouldn't your parents be worried." Sid smirked looking at his muscular friend.

"Umm no why?" Harold began to scratch his wondering would his parents be mad.

"I mean your Jewish isn't there like law and stuff, like no ham, drinking and sex." Sid knew he was being a prick but he was entirely too bored not to be.

"What are you getting at you're making my head hurt." Harold hated feeling like he was out of the biggest picture, especially if it involved him.

"So you're a virgin" Sid elbowed Stinky as Stinky tried to stifle his laughter behind his palm.

"...No..who's asking?" Harold began to ball his fist, his forehead sweating.

"I'm just saying since you're Jewish you can't do-ish" Sid began to cackle along with Stinky.

"Almost all Christian groups follow the same morale Sid" Phoebe stated, she didn't appreciate Sid's idea of humor.

"I'm not Christian. I don't believe in jack shit." Sid laughed, this caught the attention of all the PS118 crew. Something about religion and politics could ruin a good time.

"You really don't believe in anything Sid. Gosh I don't know what I'd do without my faith." Eugene brought over pretzels but fell spilling all of them on the carpet. "I'm okay."

"You're far from religion my friend."

"What's that suppose to mean Sid." Sheena asked. She didn't like his tone.

"Well I reckon it's on account of him catching rainbows or what not." Stinky shrugged.

"Don't forget being a cluts." Helga pin pointed.

"So what God is faithful to those who return the favor." Lorenzo spoke.

"I must say I ever so agree with Lorenzo." Lila timidly pointed.

"I could so blow that theory out of the park." Sid laughed.

"Second that." Helga smirked, the two high-fived.

"Helga I find religions fascinating in a world of science and theory. There are lots of things that cannot be explained so why can't there be a higher life?"

"See Pheebs that's the thing whenever there is no explanation people say 'God did it' I don't know."

"Exactly!" Sid threw his hands up.

"So says a guy who believes in aliens, germs and vampires." Harold snickered.

"Yea so says I." Sid rolled his eyes.

"I thought you would believe in God the most because of those things Sid." Nadine pointed.

"Sorry to disappoint but there's only life and POW you're under the ground."

"That's really depressing." Sheena sighed.

"I so have a joke for that!" Curly laughed.

"Are we really discussing this on Halloween?"

"Superstitious Gerald?"

"I said I have a joke!" Curly announced irritated.

"Doi he is, tall hair boy here and his urban legends." Helga dismissed.

"You thinking what I'm thinking Sid." Gerald ignored Curly's protesting in the background and finally gave up.

"Oh yea this'll be good." Sid clapped his hands together smoothing them over.

"What is it you chuckleheads are talking about?!" Helga crossed her arms and scowled.

"Yes its quite rude leaving us on the side lines. Gossip now." Rhonda said in a bored manner filing her nails.

"Come down beautiful I'll let you in on the secret." Sid sent a wink to Rhonda, he watched as the raven haired female looked down, he could see the faint hints of a blush.

"Hey watch it bub!" Curly stood up presenting a red light saver.

"The hell Curly?!" Sid jumped on the couch his vans on the cushion.

"HEY!" Harold yelled.

"Poor twisted little freak." Helga whispered so only Phoebe and Lorenzo heard, the two snickered quietly amongst themselves.

"Guys can we all just get along, seriously. Let Sid and Gerald do...ugh whatever they were going to do."

"Thanks my main man." Gerald patted Arnold's shoulder once. "Start me off Sid."

"Oh crimeny not another bullshit urban legend." Helga sighed loudly.

"SHHHH!" The group said.

**Story...**

_"This story has been passed down from generation to generation by seniors. Some say the story is derived from the straight truth, others say its just a scare me legend and my favorite theory...some fat drunk guy came up with it out of boredom."_

_"Anyway, the year was 1882, Hillwood was just becoming fully established, only populated 63 people. So it was a small town where everyone knew everyone. The town was as friendly as could possibly be. Folks took real good care of each other all with the exception of Trevor Black. He was a farmers son, only child. He was your everyday average kid...only one problem, no one knew he existed."_

"What the..."

_"He lived his life in town normal like every other kid. He went to school and was unnoticed to say the least. He of course was given school work and test but no one had ever called his name to answer a question in all his 17 years of life. At home it was worse, his parents wouldn't even talk to him. He would get an instruction of notes to do his chores. Growing up that way Trevor thought it was routine. So he never questioned life."_

_"One day while working out in the woods collecting lumber like his pa asked Trevor came upon a rusty old shed..." _Gerald dramatically paused._ "The shed, it looked suspicious alongside it was a rusty blue pickup truck with a chainsaw in the back of it. Trevor wanted to finish his work as to not make his father angry because every time he looked in his pa's eyes something evil was there, so he didn't test it. As he turned around to leave he heard a terrifying scream out of the heated sun. The teen froze straight down to his knees his head said "don't go but his heart told his curiosity to move forward." _

_"He moved slowly but consistently. Each step seemed longer and louder than the last. He had finally arrived at his destination, the door. There his hand touched the door AND there his whole life changed."_

Harold was shaking and holding on to Patty who equally was clenching her fingers into his skin for comfort. Lila held Arnold's arms and closed her eyes tight, Arnold tried not to laugh, he looked over to Helga who was sitting rather close to Lorenzo who had an arm draped over her shoulder, with a frown he looked away. Phoebe had a wicked smile on her face as if turned on by Gerald's ability to attract a crowds attention. Sid was shaking in his white vans. Stinky was biting his nails. Sheena and Eugene sat on there knees huddled together leaning forward to hear more. Nadine and Rhonda sat together grasping hands while Curly had both arms draped over the girls, he was excited. All anticipated for more.

_"What Trevor saw could make a sane man insane, a man with eyes go blind, a cripple walk..."_

"Okay sheesh continue."

"Thanks Helga." Gerald snarled. _"...anyway he saw what it seemed to be a man standing there with an axe. The man was tall broad shouldered, he had blood on his shirt and face. The man hadn't noticed Trevor so the teen continued to look on. He saw arms, legs and bodies piled in one corner and the other a evil worshipping ground with a fetus in a jar." _

_"The man turned around and Trevor knew he had to run from the unspeakable torture he might possibly endure. So he ran and ran till he was home safe at the farm. He saw the townspeople with torches and pitchforks. Trevor had never felt so relieved in his life. He ran straight to his ma and held on to her shaking. He told her everything, from the shed to the man to the bodies and the fetus. He had felt safe."_

"And they lived happily...ever after." Harold gulped.

_"Not quite. The mother laughed viscously and threw Trevor down, his eyes shut for a moment and when he looked up there was the man in the shed earlier glaring down at him hatefully. And do you know who that man was?"" _

The room was completely silent.

_"His father." _Gerald smirked at the horrifying and flabbergasted faces._ "Trevor terrified asked why. His father explained how this town needed its twins. Trevor was confused at first but thought about the fetus. The father then explained how the townspeople had stayed young for ages off of twins they sacrificed. They killed the one twin at an infant age and the other would die the age of a man. Unfortunately for Trevor his 18th birthday was today on Halloween. Trevor tried to make a run for it but the townspeople were immortal and stronger so they grabbed him arms and legs and carried him to he shed for sacrifice."_

_"At the shed enclosed in a hexagon circle after being mercilessly beaten, Trevor begged his father to spare his life. His pa only laughed saying Trevor wasn't theirs that he was stolen from a prostitute a few towns away. Something changed in the boy. Something dark and menacing took control." _Gerald narrowed his eyes._ "Trevor eyes were slits and he declared he would get his revenge on them ALL. They murdered the boy after horrific torture."_

It was an eerie silence.

"That's it?! He just dies?" Rhonda gawked.

"The next Halloween Hillwood's great fire happened which destroyed everything and everyone. Which included the so called immortals. The only thing left was the shed Trevor Black died in. Which happens to reside on Elk Island" Gerald smirked.

"Everything's on Elk's Island." Helga rolled her eyes, Lorenzo nudged her laughing.

"They say it's haunted to this day."

"I say we all have a little fun and visit ole Trevor Black." Curly smirked.

"I say crazy boy has gone crazier."

"Scared Helga?" Arnold had a wicked smile on his face.

"No football face, I just don't feel like going through all the trouble of rowing boats...and its cold." Helga crossed her arms.

"Scared." Sid loudly whispered. Stinky and him budded elbows and chuckled. Helga stood up.

"Okay pricks lets go. Right now."

"I don't know about this Helga." Sheena looked pale.

"Come on Sheena where's your sense of adventure action!" Eugene stood up and started to head for his jacket but ripped over his shoe lace. "I'm okay." He waved a hand from the ground.

"And what are we hoping to find?" Rhonda asked disinterested.

"Trevor Black and his creepy fetus brother." Harold.

"Harold calm down." Patty shook her head.

"Oh pipe down Pink Boy." Helga laughed. "Let's get going so I can prove to scaredy Football Head that I Helga G. Pataki isn't afraid." Helga held her head up high and opened Harold's door grabbing her jacket on her way out.

"So she says now. Watch her accidentally jump in my arms later." Arnold whispered to Gerald who snickered.

The group had made it to the shore after a quick stop to Sheena's for keys to two boats. Only half of the group was fitted into each boat. The first boat was Sheena, Eugene, Nadine, Stinky, Sid, Harold and Patty. The second boat was Helga, Lorenzo, Arnold, Lila, Phoebe, Gerald, Rhonda and Curly. The ride to Elk Island was remotely quiet. Secretly everyone in the group was a little frightened at the prospect of an idea that there were supernatural forces they could possibly see. They were half way to the island when a great mist appeared making it extremely hard to see.

"Where the hell did all this fog come from." Gerald began to stand.

"Gerald sit down." Phoebe hissed at her frantic boyfriend.

"I don't know let's just ride it out until we hit Elk Island."

"Oh great idea Football Head. We could ride it out and crash onto shore. Smart." Arnold was fighting the urge to speak to Helga, he heard Lorenzo snicker and his fist clench.

"Don't worry Helga. We will be perfectly fine."

"I was perfectly fine when I was a good distance from you." Helga muttered.

Lila had heard Helga and sighed to herself wondering what she had exactly done to offend Helga. The answer nothing.

The boat hit up against sand and everyone jerked forward.

"What the hell my good jeans." Rhonda complained as she tried to swipe away the sand and water on her designer jeans.

"Guys look the others boat." Lorenzo pointed to an empty Sheena and the rest of the group were in. It was a distances away. The group silently looked at the empty boat and looked to the vast tree area in front of them. Where could their friends be?

"We should go look for them. They probably started ahead of us." Arnold suggested. He was worried himself but he wanted to look on the Brightside.

Everyone had silently agreed and stuck loosely together looking for their friends. The mist had started to form around the forest area to where all you could make out were shapes of the bodies walking behind, in front or to the sides of you. Slowly each body started to disappear.

"Phoebe?" Gerald asked his voice nearly cracking Gerald.

"Yes Gerald." Phoebe answered.

"We got separated didn't we."

"Yes. I believe so."

"Damnnn." Gerald whined.

In a deeper part of the woods Helga was pushing past hanging branches and swiping spider webs.

"Dammit this was a stupid idea. Lorenzo? Phoebe?" Helga called. She stopped and looked around her to find no one but a figure in front of her, she nearly screamed but her shoulders were gripped.

"Calm down Helga, it's me." She meet green eyes.

"Oh freaking great." Helga shoved away from him and continued to walk ahead. Arnold loudly sighed with a glance to the sky. Asking why?!

Rhonda Wellington Lloyd was alone, she did not like being alone. She did not like being alone in an icky like forest with strange creepy noises around her. She held on to herself tight and continued to walk around hoping to find her mental case of a boyfriend.

"Where did that nut job ass go, leaving me here! Alone!" Rhonda muttered to herself. She bumped into a large figure and almost fell flat on her butt but was saved just in time...

**Phoebe and Gerald...**

Truth be told this couple was as strong as they come. The love they felt for each other was painfully obvious. Everyone had assumed that the two would last and they were most likely correct in that thought. In the outside world Gerald was the social one and clearly dominated Phoebe, and Phoebe to the outside world was shy and sweet so she was submissive. The outside world was wrong. When it came to their relationship Phoebe allowed Gerald to be the man but in the bedroom she dominated him, she had this wild side to her that just wanted to experiment and so she did. Gerald was more shy when it came to sex, he wasn't one for four play, just satisfying sex. Phoebe taught him how. And after watching him speak and tell his scary urban legend Phoebe was more than turned on. So when they all were separated she was more than happy.

Phoebe watched as Gerald pulled out his phone and tried to shed some light in the dark of the wooded area. She wrapped her arms around his torso from behind him. She started to run her fingers down to the end of his shirt slowly. Gerald sighed in content. She proceeded to slip her hands under his shirt and rub her fingers down his muscular form, her fingers hitting each bump of his abs. She started to scratch down his happy trail and get lower till Gerald moved from her grasp. Phoebe was initially shocked but smirked at her lover.

"Dammit Phoebe haven't you seen the horror movies?! The black man dies first! And the minorities follow." He threw his hands up. Gerald really was superstitious.

"Gerald that's ludicrous!" Phoebe was frustrated, that is sexually.

"Oh hell to the no it isn't. The couple that has sex or makes out dies too! Phoebe we are sure to DIE!" Gerald at this point had gone into hysterics. Phoebe slapped Gerald across the cheek. Gerald was stunned and didn't move, he had stopped speaking as well.

"You okay?" Phoebe asked.

"Yes, thank you." Gerald said monotone.

"Your welcome." Phoebe smiled sweetly. She slowly approached Gerald till they were in closing distance, she yanked the collar of his shirt and made him bend down toward her while she stood on tippy toes. "Now where were we?" Phoebe bit her lower lip playfully growling. Gerald's eyes widen noticeably but before he could respond his girlfriend began to plasters his face with kisses. With a shrug he complied. _She's a bold kid_, he thought.

**Sid and Rhonda...**

Rhonda Wellington Lloyd wasn't one for games, unless she started and came up with them. So this whole splitting up and running through a creepy forest wasn't in her forte, especially being stuck with Sid. Sid and her had this unspoken relationship, he was the only male who told her off on multiple occasions. It baffled her that someone had the audacity to do so, I mean she understood why Helga did, it was because that's how they were. Their whole friendship was based off of mockery and sabotage strange enough but Sid was different. Every time the two argued they would end up getting closer than necessary and the way his eyes would squint and narrow down was dangerously close to lust.

The tall beautiful female sighed. She knew Sid was crushing on Helga but she knew that was also a phase, he pretty much liked all of the PS118 girls at some point all except her! She was pretty, dammit she was beautiful. The female had olive skin, dark cat like eyes that were seductive, Marilyn Monroe lips, silk long jet black hair, a tall model figure with just enough curves and she was always well manicured. What was _so_ wrong with her for Sid to not notice her? _Why do I want Sid to notice me,_ she thought and nearly gagged at the idea.

"Dark tonight huh." Sid had spoken, hands in his pockets.

"Well obviously it's night time Sid or have you forgotten simple life known facts." Rhonda was always on defense with Sid, she never understood why.

"You don't have to be bitchy Rhonda." Sid gritted his teeth, this girl always had to fuck with him.

"Well that's me sweetheart, get over it." She stuck her nose out like she always had as if she was superior.

"Sweetheart huh, we're already on a nickname basis." Sid smirked, he decided o try a new tactic with Rhonda.

"Get over yourself. You're not worth it." Sid watched how she initially blushed and then dug her fingers into her arms crossing her arms as if straining herself.

"Am I now? You haven't mentioned Curly not once since we happened to separate. You dig me, face it." Sid walked on ahead smiling to himself.

Rhonda's eyes widened and she immediately followed in suite with Sid, beside him.

"I DO not dig you! Never!" She huffed. She almost feel back as Sid stopped abruptly.

"Okay...stop me then." He faced her and was staring directly in her eyes.

"Stop you from what?" Rhonda rested her hand on her hip.

"This." Sid pushed his face into hers and smirked as his lips inched closer and closer. Rhonda had noticeably paled and she stood tense, her stomach rose drastically and butterflies marched around.

"Sid I..." She stuttered feeling a gravitational pull move her forward, slowly.

"We've had this thing going on since 4th grade. When will we start?" Sid grazed his lips against hers. He felt her chilled breath wisp around his warm mouth. They stayed that way for a minute more till Rhonda shook her head and moved away, she wasn't facing him.

"Lets just look for the others." She barely whispered and hung her head in shame. Had she always secretly liked Sid? Yes, she did.

**Lorenzo and Lila...**

The night sky was darker than normal, everything was cloudy but one thing stood out, the bright orange looking full moon. Lorenzo wondered why it was that color tonight and wished Helga were with him to possibly give him an answer, she was in astrology last year. They would walk around the woods looking for nothing in particular and he would try to slip his hand in hers while he babbled on about dumb stuff to keep her mind off Arnold. He sighed loudly speaking of Arnold how had he got separated with Lila of all people. It wasn't like he didn't like her but they had never spoken, he didn't care for her like the other guys did back in elementary days, he saw her perfections as flaws and so he just wasn't ever interested. She was a good person, yes but not someone of interest a friend or maybe less would suit better for them.

"Lorenzo?" He had looked up interrupted from thought to see the red head looking at him.

"Yes Lila..." They were actually talking, strange.

Lila had been thinking also. She had missed Arnold and wondered where he went off to when everyone was split up. Lila had a lot on her mind. She was close with all of the PS118 group except a few, the main one being Helga. The girl had never like Lila and as sweet as Lila was she knew it, when someone spoke so sarcastically all the time and scowled constantly with every glance hey made at you it was painfully obvious. Lila didn't know why she felt like she had to try with Helga but she did. Lately it had become harder though. As Lila got older she found it harder to keep up facades with people, hopefully her and Helga would never get to that point but sometimes deep down she knew it would.

"Do you know what's been going on with Helga lately. I mean you guys are dating right?" Lila had noticed Lorenzo and Helga spending all their time together, everyone had noticed.

"No we aren't dating and sort of. Why?" Lorenzo was fixing his earphones so that one was on and the other out so he could converse with Lila and listen to music. That irritated Lila a bit, she wanted his full attention for the answers she longed for.

"Because sometimes I just feel like she hates me or knows something that I should know. I don't know, I'm really pissed off about it." Lila stepped on a stick it broke in half.

Lorenzo nearly tripped hearing the all mighty princess swear.

"Whoa, you cuss?" Lorenzo was being playful of course but he saw the dark look on Lila's eyes that told him she didn't take it as a joke.

"I'm not a little miss perfect all the time. I get angry too. I just wish I knew why she was...well such a bitch to me and Arnold."

Lila pondered over and over again in her mind what the two had done to Helga for her to hate them so much. She thought Arnold and Helga were getting along Arnold had once told her on a date. At lunch last week she was so rude to Arnold, he had said hi to her and she purposely walked on. It bugged her that Helga hadn't changed.

"Huh sounds like you need to take a closer look."

"Excuse me..." Lila looked up interrupted from her thoughts.

It was silent for a few brief moments. Lorenzo choose to keep it that way frustrated with Lila's assumptions but could he blame the girl? She knew nothing.

"I think I see a light lets go." Lorenzo continued forward, Lila slowly followed behind him and remembered a distant memory, it involved a William Shakespeare play.

**Harold and Patty...**

"I want my mommy." Harold groaned.

'Harold if you are any kind of man you would stop it right now. How are you suppose to protect me?"

"I just figured we could run together and never look back." Harold looked dumbfounded.

"You're hopeless." Patty rolled her eyes walking ahead

"Am not." He stomped.

"Harold."

"Huh?"

"Shutup."

**Helga and Arnold...**

Arnold kept glancing at the blonde female that walked near him, she had chosen to keep a good distance away. She had her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed down, her jaw line was tight. She clearly wasn't happy about the situation, he understood...somewhat. He kept thinking about the earlier conversation the group had about faith, he was a believer of miracles and another life. Life couldn't just end, it just didn't make sense.

"Is it true?" He found himself speaking. He listened to her sigh loudly and finally give.

"What true?"

"You don't believe in God."

"I never said I didn't believe in him" She snapped.

"You never said you did either." Arnold pointed a little frustrated at her attitude. It had gotten so much worse. He knew the reason why. Helga had momentarily stopped and Arnold did as well, she tried to put in words how she felt.

"It's complicated...our relationship. I hold on to faith but I feel like God constantly punishes me, that I'm not worthy of his love...why am I telling you this? I don't even wanna be around you anymore frankly." Helga continued to stalk off.

Arnold had to jog up to Helga, he grabbed her arm and she roughly removed it from his grasp. He ignored it and looked in her eyes.

"Look Helga aside from our problems, I actually understand." Helga had rolled her eyes but softened at his next words. "Losing my parents I felt like God was punishing me. For a long time I was angry with God, sometimes I feel like I still am but there's this other part of me this greater part that feels like I have no meaning when I have nothing to believe. I need something to believe in because when all else fails for me, I'm left with nothing."

Arnold had breathed out heavily, his words had come out rushed and heavy because he hadn't spoken about his parents o anyone for years so when he repressed their existence he had told his body to keep it that way, it hurt his throat and his chest to speak but he did. He felt like his body was trying o force him to not say anything. The memories were too painful.

"I'm sorry Arnold." Helga looked genuinely upset for him. He missed her compassion.

"It's okay...actually thank you. I've never told anybody about it, feels good to get it off my chest." It did.

Moments of silence passed and Helga sighed loudly looking toward the orange moon.

"This doesn't mean we're cool...you know that right?" She had finally said, Arnold knew.

"I figured as much...hopefully with time we could..."

"You obviously don't get it." Arnold raised a eyebrow stopping in his tracks, just as Helga did. "I want nothing to do with you anymore." Helga had interrupted Arnold mid sentence.

"Why Helga?! What did I do that was _so_ bad for you to hate me oh but you _always_ have." Arnold couldn't take it anymore, she just wanted hem to be over. She could so easily turn her back on him and never look back, he couldn't believe her.

"You dense pompous! I never hated you...ugh you know what never mind lets just remain civil." Arnold was about to speak but Helga held a hand up. "Oh no wait bub I'll give you my definition of civil."

"Another agreement." Arnold sarcastically sneered.

"Actually we can't even be that. Just stay out of my way." She couldn't believe him! _Sarcastic asshole,_ she thought.

"Helga I can't just not have you in my life. I want us to be friends." He sounded desperate, he was.

"Arnold your making it worse than what it is. You obviously had no problem dropping me before and now you want us to be friends. Fat chance that'll be."

"Helga why are you being...ugh"

"Being what Arnold?" Arnold was clenching his fists to his side. "What?!"

"Such a bitch?!" Arnold shouted.

"I'm a bitch because assholes just like you hurt vulnerable girls and I refuse to be one of those. You can't force me into liking you, wanting to be friends. I'm not one of your charity cases, I'm doing fine without you. Surprised? Don't be."

"Whatever Helga, I'm done trying." He threw his hands up and walked ahead.

"I never asked you to try." Arnold loudly growled in frustration.

It was quiet for a long time. Both blondes refused to speak to one another. Arnold hated Helga. He hated Helga with a burning passion because she just easily dropped him and wanted nothing to do with him. He kept replaying the words they had spoken not to long ago making Helga's voice more nagging than what it really was. He was so angry, everything was shaking inside of him, he felt hot. He wasn't even in reality anymore.

"Arnold..." He hadn't heard his name being called. But then it became more obsessive till it broke his thoughts completely.

"WHAT?!" He shouted facing Helga.

"Look" Helga's eyes were big and bluer than ever, her mouth ajar looking ahead of him. He turned in her direction to find the one thing no one expected to find tonight and secretly hoped no one would find tonight.

The shed.

The shed was dark, with damp damaged wood surrounding the place. Cobwebs lie around on every corner and little noises of scurrying feet and insects chirping could be heard. Helga stood deathly close to Arnold fearing the scurrying were rats. Arnold gulped quietly to himself a bit worried himself about what they could find but a greater part of him was happy Helga was so close to him now. He could feel her smooth arm on his own flesh. He breathed in deeply and looked to a spot that had a small reflection of light. His hand started moving toward it.

"Football head what are you doing?!" Helga's voice gave away anger but mostly fear. He ignored her and continued to move his hand toward the light when...

**MEEEEOOOOOOOOOOW **

Helga jumped and slide her arm in Arnold's she clung closely to him terrified. A cat jumped from the window and went through a crack to the outside world.

The two had looked around clinging to one another, Arnold tried to ignore the fast beating of his heart and the warmth he felt on his arm and side. They hadn't touched in so long, it felt good with just this little bit of contact but he knew it was only because she was scared.

In the corner was a dark figure, there was no face it were as if a large shadow took up the entirety of the wall on the other side. And then it moaned loudly.

**OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! **

"AGHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Helga's death shriek escaped her lips. She jumped straight into Arnold's arms like she had done so many times as a little girl. Arnold held on tight to Helga bridal style backing away watching the shadow come closer, he had back himself into a object making him fall back with Helga on top of him. He pulled the girl in his arms shielding her as she wrapped her arms around him pressing her cheek into his neck as they looked away.

"Ugh Hi." The ghost spoke.

"Brainy?!" They both yelled, eyes now really looking at the ghost, which was a creepy 17 year old in all black, hoodie up and nearly covering his face entirely.

"Huh yea." Helga stood up slowly and wiped off the dust on herself, walked straight up o Brainy slowly and decked him in the nose. Brainy went down with a love sick grin on his face.

The two blondes had walked out together. Both laughing.

"I can't believe it was Brainy!"

"I thought we were goners for sure."

"I would have protected you."

"Always so noble." Helga rolled her eyes but had a smirk.

"Helga are you serious about us not being friends...ever?" Arnold couldn't stand it, they had gotten along well just a few moments ago, why not?

"Yes Arnold. I am." Helga was deadpanned.

"I'm not giving up on you." Arnold had whispered.

"I'm begging you too. Some people just drift apart...you caused it." Arnold just looked at the blonde, they heard rustling in the trees.

Just then appearing out of the trees was Harold, Patty, Lorenzo, and Lila. Lila nearly pummeled Arnold jumping into his arms, Lila looked at Helga briefly almost glaring but continued to parade Arnold with questions. Lorenzo didn't speak he just stood beside Helga and unexpectedly he felt a smooth small hand in his own. They had found the others and made a quick escape out of Elk Island.

Some where in the distance of the woods was a shed. Inside that shed was a jar that was unnoticed covered in dust and cobwebs, in that jar was a fetus surrounded by yellow jelly like substance. Behind the jar was a dark figure who menacingly glared red eyes at us viewers.

"Happy Halloween indeed. Muahahahahahah!" The demonic figure cackled.

**Baby don't you know I suffer. Oh baby can you hear me moan.**

**You caught me under false pretenses. How long before you let me go.**

**You set my soul alight. You set my soul alight.**

**Glaciers melting in the dead of night. And the superstars sucked into the supermassive**

**I thought I was a fool for no one. Oh baby I'm a fool for you**

**You're the queen of the superficial. And how long before you tell the truth**

A/N: I apologize if parts of this felt rushed. It's not my best work but it is my longest chapter I've written so far, 27 pages. ANYWAY I wanted SO bad to update a story for Halloween when it was near but too late. Take this halloween story? Please. Lol

Chapter 8 which I have started but not finished along with the other 14 I have to get through will have a girls day. That will be FUN for Helga and Lila. No updates for awhile...idk. Hope this tides you over. Next time I update I'll have lots of chapters to offer maybe even completed the story. lol

**Stuff you should know:** So I have 7 multi chapter stories I'm working on for Hey Arnold. And guess what ONE is horror, TWO stories are not Helga and Arnold pairing but them with other people, TWO are fantasy which One isn't about Helga and Arnold, and the last TWO are almost essay like about our favorite soul mates. SO yea a lot of stuff. Lol I have started all of them with one or two chapters, these chapters won't be nearly as long as my other two stories. I want them to be 6-10 chapters in length and then after that I'll be done for awhile. I have to get back to reality. You feel muh cuzz *Ghetto voice*

I appreciate all of you. We all connect in so many ways. Have you ever thought about it really? What brought us to this site to Hey Arnold specifically. I share this bond with no one else that I know personally but its great to know I'm not a nut by myself. Not saying _you_ guys are nuts. Heh hehhh ;)

Love Always see you in your reviews, Morgan!


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